Fox Sensei
by SharinganUserZ
Summary: What would happen if Naruto discovered the Kyuubi before entering the Ninja Academy? What would happen if the Kyuubi's seal weakened sooner than later? What would happen if the Kyuubi was the main influence in Naruto's life all along? AU, Pairings Undecided.
1. Prologue: October 10th

{{ Do you think about everything you've been through?  
>You never thought you'd be so depressed<br>Are you wondering "is it life or death"?  
>Do you think that there's no one like you?<p>

~ One-X by Three Days Grace }}

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. As much as I would like to, Naruto is 100% the work of Masashi Kishimoto-sensei.**

Prologue: October 10th

October 10 had always been the worst day of the year for Naruto Uzumaki. It was his birthday, but that obviously didn't make much difference to the villagers of Konohagakure no Sato. After all, not only was it Naruto's birth date, it was also the 4 year anniversary of the Kyuubi no Yoko's attack on the village. Naruto was old enough to understand that he was not very well-liked in the village. What he didn't understand was why. More than any other day, his birthday was the day the villagers harassed him the most. Naruto hated the eyes of the villagers. He hated how they never seemed to look at him as Naruto Uzumaki. The looks he got would be directed more towards a piece of garbage stuck to someone's shoe than a human child.

As he walked through the streets, plenty of those looks were directed his way. Scowling, Naruto kept his head down and ignored them. It was his birthday, and there was no way he was going to sit in his house all alone on his own birthday. Or so he'd thought, until the solid objects started flying his way.

The first one smacked him right under his eye, and Naruto flinched back, surprised. His sky-colored eyes met the fiery orbs of a man in his late fifties. He took three steps backwards as the man, who appeared quite drunk, staggered towards him. The man caught the off-guard Naruto quite easily. Hauling the boy upwards by his collar, the man screeched into Naruto's face: "You monshter! How dare you show your fache here!" His slurred speech continued, calling Naruto several colorful names. Naruto shrank back and squirmed free. He didn't know what those words meant, but the tone was enough warning for him. He knew he had to get out of there before he was seriously hurt.

Touching his rapidly swelling eye gingerly, he bolted towards the less populated section of the village, shaking with fear and fury. How dare they! How dare they treat him like something….something what? Naruto wrapped his arms around himself. Something inhuman? That's what a monster was, right? But Naruto knew he was definitely a human. So what, then? Why did they look at him with those hate-filled eyes? What had he ever done to deserve it?

"Chikusho!" Naruto cursed, slamming his fists into the ground. All he received for his troubles were bloody knuckles. Scraping the heels of his hands across his wet eyes, Naruto's body shook with ire. "Why? Why do they all hate me? What did I do wrong?" he wailed to the sky.

His eye hurt….but more than that, his heart hurt. He hadn't expected anyone to answer him…after all, he was alone. But a deep, rumbling voice bubbled into his mind, /**Why, you ask? Does it really matter why, gaki? Just hate them back./ **Naruto stopped crying for a moment. 'Who are you?' He thought back, curiosity replacing his anger for the time being.

The voice chuckled, a sinister sound. **/You would think that you'd notice there was something else camping out in your body./ **Naruto was confused. 'You're…inside me? Is that why everyone hates me? Because of you?'

The Kyuubi smirked. **/I am the Nine Tailed Fox. / **Naruto felt his eyes closing, and when he opened them again, he found himself in a strange place he'd never been before. In front of him loomed a giant gate, with a grinning face behind it.

**/I summoned you here this time, but I won't again. You asked me if the villagers hate you because of me. It's mainly their fault for being so stupid. I will never understand humans. If I were not trapped by this tainted seal I would kill them all./ **

Naruto stared at the Kyuubi for a long time before speaking out loud this time. "The seal is tainted? What does that mean?"

The Kyuubi laughed, a deep, guttural sound. **/It means that the seal doesn't work properly. It still keeps me trapped in here…but I can get out for short periods of time. Not much use to me, honestly. You, however….I could assist you…..for a price./**

Naruto frowned. "Help me with what? More importantly, why would you want to help me? Wouldn't you get out sooner if I died?"

**/I can give you the knowledge others refuse you. I would assist you slightly…in return for being allowed another body, outside of this prison. And it is true that your death would free me from this prison permanently. But it would be some time before I could return to this world./**

After a moment of thought, Naruto's expression brightened a bit. "So killing someone to give you a body is the price? After I do that, you'd kick those dumb villager's butts?"

The Kyuubi smiled, looking feral. **/You will just have to kill two people. I won't interfere in measly human affairs, but I can teach you many things. I have been sealed inside powerful ninja. And I have observed their fights. I know many powerful ninja techniques. In a year or two, you'll go to the ninja academy. Wouldn't you like to have an…edge?/**

Naruto was suspicious, but this deal was beginning to sound beneficial to him. "You only mentioned one person. Who is this other person I would have to kill?"

The fox growled. **/The other person is one I hate very much. Follow my orders, and you will beat him. Shall I reduce your enemies to rubble?/ **

Naruto was still uneasy about this whole thing…but it wasn't as if anyone went out of their way to help him. Why should he care if he had to kill two people? This sounded like a way to get power, and power was exactly what he needed. "So I just have to kill two certain people, and you'll help me?"

**/That's right. How about it?/ **The Kyuubi shifted behind the bars.

Naruto cracked his knuckles nervously. "Why do you want to get out? What good will it do you?"

The Kyuubi bared his teeth. **/That is none of your concern, human. /**

Naruto frowned, touched his still swelling eye, and thought about it for a few minutes. "All right." He said finally.

**(A/N: So how about it? First chapter of my first fanfic. Please let me know what you think. I know it's pretty short, but it was a good stopping place. Any suggestions, comments, criticism, would be helpful. )**


	2. Chapter 1: Formation of Teams

{{We are the angry and the desperate,  
>The hungry, and the cold,<br>We are the ones who kept quiet,  
>And always did what we were told.<br>But we've been sweating while you slept so calm,  
>In the safety of your homes.<br>We've been pulling out the nails that hold up  
>Everything you've known.<p>

~Prayer of the Refugee by Rise Against}}

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. As much as I would like to, Naruto is 100% the work of Masashi Kishimoto-sensei. Sad as it is, I own nothing.<strong>

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><p><strong>If you didn't notice, a time skip happened. Naruto went from entering the Academy to graduating. This was because I am far too lazy for my own good. Plus it would probably bore you to death to read it all. As it is not a major part of the story, I left it out. Needless to say, Naruto now has no love for Konoha, and especially the teachers of Konoha. He is also a much more…rounded…ninja than he was in canon. If you think his attitude is out of character, it's because his character isn't quite the same. Thanks for reading! Enjoy.<strong>

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><p>Chapter 1: Graduation, Formation of Teams!<p>

When Naruto heard that the exam would be on Bunshin techniques, he nearly laughed. He was no longer a child, the Kyuubi's dark wisdom had aged him years beyond his own. The Bunshin technique was somewhat difficult for the kids of his age, Naruto knew. What made him laugh was that it seemed to be a perfectly reasonable test of ability to the Academy's sensei. Like, if they could do a Bunshin technique, being a ninja would suddenly fall into place and everything would go smoothly.

Naruto knew it was slightly ridiculous to think this way, but he couldn't help it. Every student was so hopeful and happy about their future of being a shinobi, and despite himself, Naruto was slightly angry he couldn't keep to the same delusions. So instead of worrying over the exam, he turned his attention to his classmates.

Which ones would be on his team? He couldn't help but hope it wasn't Uchiha Sasuke. The so called 'genius' had always gotten on his nerves, mainly because he seemed to glide along on his reputation alone without doing any real work or training. It didn't help that he was loved and acknowledged by all. But now that he thought about it, Sasuke wasn't the worst that could happen.

Yamanaka Ino was by far the most obnoxious girl Naruto had ever met. She complained about everything. Not only did she complain constantly, she did so in a loud whiny voice that made Naruto's ears ache. She was also physically violent when she found anything she didn't like. Yes, Uchiha Sasuke was not the worst that could happen.

Naruto absently stepped forwards as his name was called to do the Bunshin technique. He performed the jutsu flawlessly and effortlessly, and then returned to his seat.

Naruto was not at all surprised when every single one of his classmates passed the Bunshin exam. After the exam Iruka-sensei gave a lengthy lecture about how things would proceed from this point forwards: in teams of three, under a single sensei. They would complete missions as a team and train as a team. Naruto knew all this already so he absently tuned it out. After Iruka-sensei's speech, because all of them had passed they were presented with their hitai-ate and promptly divided into teams.

"Team 7. Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Your sensei is Hatake Kakashi."

As fate would have it, when Naruto finally heard his name called, it was with the exact two shinobi he least desired to be around that he was paired.

"Team 8. Uzumaki Naruto. Yamanaka Ino. And…Uchiha Sasuke. Your sensei is Yuuhi Kurenai."

As Ino cheered loudly and Sakura slumped over in her seat, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged annoyed glances. Neither one of them was particularly thrilled about working in a group, especially with this grouping. Both boys thought of Ino as incredibly annoying, and they didn't get along between themselves.

Clearing his throat loudly to silence the girls, Iruka-sensei continued, "Team 10. Hyuuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji. Your sensei is Asuma Sarutobi."

Iruka-sensei continued to list of several other teams consisting of Naruto's classmates, but Naruto was no longer listening. He wondered who this Yuuhi Kurenai was, and if they were a good sensei. Not that it mattered much. Naruto already had a sensei that was much more knowledgeable, especially when it came to forbidden techniques. He suddenly snapped back to reality when he heard Iruka-sensei dismissing them to go meet their new sensei.

Standing quickly, Naruto headed for the doors. All the sensei were standing outside, waiting on their students. A beautiful kunoichi beckoned Naruto over. He was slightly shocked. _This_ was Yuuhi Kurenai? His sensei was a woman? The lady gave Naruto a genuine smile. "You're Uzumaki Naruto. Welcome to Team 8. I'm Yuuhi Kurenai, your sensei."

Naruto forced his face into a wide smile, as he always did. "Nice to meet you, Kurenai-sensei! When do we start missions?"

Kurenai-sensei paused to welcome Uchiha Sasuke as the raven-haired boy strolled up, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Sasuke only nodded somewhat rudely in response. "When Ino gets here, I'll explain." She told Naruto after introducing herself to Sasuke.

Of course, Yamanaka Ino was not far behind Sasuke. When was she ever? Bounding up she latched onto the sullen boy's arm, squealing. "Sasuke-kun! We're on the same team!" Sasuke immediately shook free of the overenthusiastic girl, glaring daggers at her.

Kurenai-sensei cleared her throat meaningfully. "Yamanaka Ino, I am your sensei, Yuuhi Kurenai. Welcome to Team 8."

Realizing her rudeness, Ino quickly bowed to her sensei. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei!" After this acknowledgement, she quickly turned her attentions back to the irritated Sasuke.

Kurenai-sensei shook her head slightly before continuing, "Before we begin missions, I would like to assess your personal abilities, so as to best train you in the future. I have seen your grades, but watching you in action is much more helpful." Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued, "I will warn you of one thing, though. If I do not think you are fit to be a shinobi, I will not hesitate to report it to the Sandaime Hokage."

Ino flinched the slightest bit. "Yes, sensei!" Inwardly, her only thought was, '_I'll have to work harder! I won't lose to Billboard Brow…I mean, Sakura!" _

Naruto glanced at Sasuke and his expression darkened. He had no doubt he could beat the dark-haired shinobi, but he was still unsure exactly how skilled the Uchiha was. Sure, in the Academy he had done everything perfectly. But the Academy was really no test for a true, high-level shinobi.

Sasuke, sensing Naruto's look, scowled back. He knew next to nothing about the blonde-haired shinobi, other than that he was always smiling ridiculously. He had no tolerance for idiots like Naruto.

Naruto interpreted the look and regarded Sasuke back through squinty eyes. "Don't look down on me, teme!" He railed, inwardly sighing at the pointless gesture.

Ino's fist crashed down on Naruto's head. "NARUTO! Don't be an idiot, Sasuke's way better than you! You shouldn't even be _looking_ at him. Stupid moron."

Naruto's first reaction was a surge of anger. How many people would look down on him before he couldn't take it anymore? But the anger died quickly. He was used to it, after all. Even if Ino didn't know why she looked down on him, she still did. Just blindly following everyone else. Konoha was full of mindless sheep, following the leader. Filled with contempt, Naruto simply turned away without a reply.

Ino's eyebrows knitted downwards, annoyed and a bit surprised that Naruto hadn't risen to her bait. Oh well, she had successfully defended her precious Sasuke-kun.

Sasuke was still watching Naruto. To be truthful, he hadn't expected that reaction, either. Perhaps there was more to the obnoxious shinobi than met the eye.

Kurenai-sensei cleared her throat. "If you are ready to listen now…" she trailed off, raising a brow meaningfully. Her three students nodded solemnly, and Ino seemed slightly embarrassed. "I will do your assessments individually, and then we will have a teamwork session. From what I can see, it's sorely needed." Her mouth pressed into a line. "Naruto, I will work with you first. The rest of you can head home for today." Ino and Sasuke were both taken aback that their sensei had chosen Naruto to go first, but they did as she requested. Ino added, "Yes, sensei."

Naruto was slightly suspicious. "Why am I first?" he mumbled, eying her with caution.

Kurenai-sensei chuckled. "It's okay, Naruto. I won't bite. I wanted to explain a few things to you, without the others present. The Sandaime himself asked me to tutor you and Sasuke for a specific reason. I'm not blind, Naruto. I've always seen how cruelly you were treated. In fact, that precisely the reason I approached the Third about you. There are two reasons I have become your sensei. Well, three really. The first was to help you improve as a shinobi. I understand that in the Academy, some of the teachers deliberately sabotaged your lessons. I want to alleviate that."

Naruto nodded silently. It didn't really matter, though. The Kyuubi had pointed out everything the teacher tried to do, just as he was now urging him to disregard her words. But the Kyuubi wasn't his master so he ignored it.

Kurenai continued, "The second reason is I wanted to become someone you could trust. An ally, of sorts. The way the treat you is completely out of line, and I won't stand for it."

Naruto suppressed a chuckle at the indignant look on her face. It was nice of her, but it came far too late. Trying to fix things now would do nothing. He'd already been through far too much.

"Lastly, I understand that you have a kekkei genkai. This is where Sasuke comes in. As a wielder of a kekkei genkai of my own, it is only natural I help you both along."

Naruto sorted away this interesting bit of information with no change in expression. "Okay. What kind of assessment is this?"

Kurenai-sensei was a bit shocked at the lack of expression, or even emotion in his voice. The Naruto she'd watched was always so lively…or maybe that was just a front? It would make sense, she supposed. With all the mistreatment he'd gone through…Shaking free from her thoughts she quickly answered, "For now, will you just perform a few of your jutsus? That should be a good starting point."

Naruto arranged his face into a cocky smile, but his eyes were emotionless voids of blue. "What kind of techniques? I know a lot. Wind element? Fire element? Henge? Summoning?"

Kurenai blinked. "Whichever ones you'd like, Naruto."

Forming a wickedly fast series of seals, Naruto bit his thumb, causing blood to run freely, and placed it on the ground, gathering the necessary chakra to his hand. "Kuchiyose no jutsu," he murmured, half to himself. There was a big puff of smoke, and a fox stood at his side, baring its teeth at her.

Kurenai blinked. How had the boy gotten his hands on a Summoning Scroll? She would have to ask the Third later when she gave her report. "Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto knelt down and spoke softly to the fox, apologizing for summoning him for no particular reason. When Naruto finished speaking the kitsune disappeared in a puff of smoke. He glanced up at his sensei, pondering what technique to show next. He wanted to keep many of them hidden, because they were forbidden techniques, and he didn't want to let anyone in on his…secret. Searching his mind for a technique that would make him appear gifted, but not overly so, he finally decided on another.

"Katon: Karyu Endan!" A great flaming dragon rose from Naruto's mouth as he completed the seals and released his chakra. He was extremely careful to aim it in the opposite direction of Kurenai-sensei, because even if he wasn't aiming at her, if she got too close it would still hurt her. He was about to loose the technique when he realized they were in the middle of Konoha. He quickly suppressed the chakra and released it in small fireballs instead.

Kurenai-sensei chuckled slightly. "Interesting choice. That's a B-rank technique, you know."

Naruto met her eyes. "Well, I didn't take you as a stupid person."

Kurenai's brows shot up, but she didn't comment on his rudeness. "Indeed I'm not. I think that should be good enough for now."

Naruto gave a curt nod. "Understood. There is one thing, though. Don't speak of my kekkei genkai to the others. I don't care that Sasuke has…will have one. I don't want them to know about it."

Kurenai frowned. "Naruto, that isn't a good idea. As teammates, you need to have complete trust in each other. Hiding something from them isn't a good start."

Naruto scowled. "It's not like they care to figure it out, anyways. This is something only me and the Third know. And now you. I'd like to keep it that way."

Kurenai sighed. "If that's what you want, I can't really argue. I encourage you to tell them, though."

"Your _encouragement_ is duly noted, sensei. May I leave now?" Naruto knew he was being rude but at this point he didn't really care. He wanted to go train…..

"Yes, Naruto, you may go. Before you return to your home, though, I'd like you to have Sasuke come here." Kurenai watched his reaction.

Naruto groaned. "Is that really necessary? That teme grates on my nerves."

Kurenai-sensei frowned sternly. "That "bastard", Naruto, is on your team. I expect you two to get along. Now go find him. I expect he's in the Uchiha compound."

Naruto trudged away with a huge sigh. This was going to completely ruin his afternoon…

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><p>Katon: Karyu Endan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet) - Shoots an enormous ball of flame shaped like a dragon from the user's mouth. Technique of the Sandaime Hokage.<p>

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><p><strong>Please review! Comments, constructive criticism, and questions are all welcome. Your reviews help me to make the story better, and as it is my first one, I need your help! Also I'm still trying to piece together all the kekkei genkai stuff, so if you have any suggestions for Kurenai's….give me a shout out please! It would be mucho appreciated. Thanks for reading andor reviewing. Chao. **


	3. Chapter 2: The Uchiha Compound

{{So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed  
>Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?<br>So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise?  
>Will all our sins be justified?<p>

~Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation }}

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Sakura would be far less annoying.<strong>

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><p><strong>No offense to you Sakura fans out there. xD<strong>

**A/N: Hey all! Just wanted to say, sorry for taking so long to come out with the next chapter. Hem. I had a hard time deciding on a name for the Kyuubi. It's hard to name a demon, if you hadn't ever thought of it. Thanks for waiting, please read and review, enjoy!**

**Any comments and random tidbits appreciated.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: The Uchiha Compound<strong>

Naruto stared at the large, foreboding door that seemed to loom over him. He didn't want to do this. Kurenai-sensei was evil. She had to be, to give Naruto a task like this. Scowling Naruto raised his fist and banged obnoxiously on the door. A little louder than needed, but not so loud that he would be _accused_ of banging too loudly.

It only took a few moments before the door cracked open. The raven-haired boy glared back at him. "What?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed into slits. "Kurenai-sensei asked me to send you to her."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed right back. "Did she." It wasn't a question.

"That's what I said, teme. What, the genius ninja can't hear?" Naruto refrained from rolling his eyes.

Sasuke's face darkened at the insults. "Shut up, dobe. And get off my porch."

Naruto jumped sideways as Sasuke stepped towards him, body automatically tensing for a fight. But Sasuke merely brushed past him, without as much as a second glance.

Naruto was slightly affronted. He hated being looked down upon. Sasuke didn't even know anything about him, and he immediately disregarded him. Just like everyone else. It irked him like nothing else.

**/It's not like you, kit. Getting so riled over a kid ninja. Even if he is a so-called genius./ **The Kyuubi seemed amused.

"Shut up, fox." Naruto mumbled, squinting after Sasuke. The fox's chuckle echoed throughout his head. The yard was littered with shurikens and targets, battered from use. Perhaps the raven wasn't gliding as much as he'd thought. Abruptly realizing he was still standing on the Uchiha's porch, Naruto quickly left the compound before he could be accused of loitering. Suddenly curious, Naruto made the tiger hand seal and murmured: "Meisaigakure no Jutsu." Naruto faded back into the shadows, his shadow and scent disappearing completely. It was a very high level technique to be using to spy on his Genin teammate and sensei, but…Naruto could get away with wasting a little chakra. Or a lot. At least, until Sasuke developed the Sharingan. The technique would be useless then.

Laughing silently, he headed after Sasuke, tailing him effortlessly. He was invisible to the senses, after all. Well, except maybe smell. But he knew enough to disguise his scent by now. Foxes were predatory animals, after all. He'd learned from the best.

The Kyuubi grinned malevolently in his head. Naruto attempted to ignore it. He followed Sasuke all the way to where Kurenai-sensei waited. Neither one suspected a thing. Why should they? After all, no one would be interested in this particular conversation. Or so they thought.

Kurenai-sensei stood from her seated position and greeted Sasuke. "Sasuke. As you know, this is an assessment of your skills. But I also wanted to let you know that I am aware you will eventually develop a kekkei genkai. The Sharingan. I was selected as your sensei for this reason, as I have a bloodline limit as well."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, but said nothing other than, "Hn."

Kurenai-sensei chuckled. "All right, then. Show me a few techniques and then you can go find Ino for me."

Sasuke grunted slightly before he began to form hand seals. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" The fireball shot away from the raven and scorched several nearby trees.

Kurenai winced. Destroying trees…again. When will these kids ever learn? "Very good, Sasuke. Though perhaps next time you will contain your chakra and not destroy the trees." It was a command. Annoyed, Sasuke nodded mutely in assent.

Naruto held back a chuckle. Kid genius? The prick couldn't even nullify his own chakra. Shaking his head he turned to leave. He'd seen enough. Sure, Sasuke would grow up and become powerful someday, but the day wasn't anytime soon. Naruto would keep an eye on him, but for now, he had nothing to worry about. He didn't even realize until he stopped thinking that he was following Sasuke.

Embarrassed, Naruto turned to head back to his own apartment, but hesitated. Since he was already using the technique, he might as well spy on Ino as well. Perhaps he could help her with something and win her over to his side. An ally would be nice as a teammate, after all. And it was good to help your teammates anyways, right? After all, he potentially could be placing his life in their hands.

Mind made up, Naruto continued to follow Sasuke, who sought out Ino. It took the Uchiha much longer than it should have. Of course, it made perfect sense. The raven ignored everyone, and avoided girls like the plague. Naruto didn't exactly _blame_ him, per say, as crazed fan girls are most likely the creepiest species on the planet Earth, but it wouldn't hurt him to at least pick up a few of their habits. In fact, it would make avoiding them easier. Naruto chuckled, amused that a "genius" like Sasuke couldn't see something so simple.

Sasuke finally found the loudmouthed girl, who proceeded to fawn all over him. Naruto allowed himself a small smirk at the boy's discomfort before growing bored. Taking a few steps away from the pair, Naruto released his technique and made a Kage Bunshin, sending it after Ino.

**/Kit./** A rumbling voice sounded inside his head. /**Come here./**

Naruto understood, and had guessed this would be coming soon. Slipping into a secluded area, he sat down cross-legged on the forest floor and made a few hand seals, closing his eyes. 'Kokugen no Jutsu.' It was one of Naruto's own techniques, developed to enter into his own mind-scape whenever necessary. Reopening his eyes, he found himself in his own mind-scape. The Kyuubi leered at him from behind bars.

**/Kit./ **The voice was closer now, more urging.

Naruto sighed. 'Shut up, fox. I know.' He closed his eyes again, and began molding chakra. The blue aura swirled around him swiftly as he summoned more and more. With a soft sigh, he made a hand seal and whispered, 'Maboroshi no jutsu.'

When he opened his eyes once more, he was back in Konoha. A human with reddish hair stared back at him through the eyes of the Kyuubi. "It is done."

Naruto's eyes widened. It had taken him many years, but he had finally developed his new jutsu. The Kyuubi did not have a permanent body, but he could now manifest for several days in the body Naruto had just created out of pure chakra. "So it is."

The Kyuubi came a step closer, staring Naruto down. "I will keep to my side of the agreement. But I do not like you, nor any human. Do not expect anything of me other than instruction, kit."

Naruto let loose a short laugh, but it held no humor. "Don't be afraid of that, fox." He suddenly fell quiet and cocked his head. "Hmm. Ino was pretty pathetic as well," he mused aloud, as the information from the Kage Bunshin suddenly came to him. The Kyuubi chuckled darkly. "I have one thing to suggest before we begin a spar. Your clothes, get rid of them."

Naruto glanced down at his bright orange jumpsuit with little expression. "Fine. I have something to discuss with you before we begin. I can't just walk around calling you Kyuubi. What would you suggest?"

The Nine-Tailed Fox smirked. "Kurou."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Subtle. You should probably stop calling me 'kit' now, you know."

Kyuubi shrugged, a human gesture Naruto found very strange coming from the demon. "I suppose. Naruto." The demon crouched, settling into a fighting stance. "Let's fight."

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><p><strong>Heh, I'm terrible at fight scenes. Sorry for being lazy but I'm not quite ready to write one quite yet. I'll get it out as soon as possible, I promise. Thanks for reading! Please review!<strong>

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><p>Meisaigakure no Jutsu: Hiding with Camouflage Technique. Used in episode 35 or Ch. 241 by some nin in some filler. Naruto uses this because I'm too lazy to create my own.<p>

Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu - Sasuke's favorite technique. -chuckle-

Kokugen no Jutsu: Time Technique. Allows Naruto to enter his mind-scape whenever he desires.

Maboroshi no Jutsu: Phantom Technique. Naruto created this technique to give the Kyuubi a temporary human body of chakra.

**(1)** Kurou means "ninth son", but Kuro also means black. Basically the Kyuubi just made a stupid pun.


	4. Chapter 3: Training

{{Do you spend your days counting the hours you're awake?  
>And when night covers the sky you find yourself doing the same<br>There's a burden you've been bearing in spite of all your prayers  
>There's a light turned off inside your heart<br>Can you remember what it's like to care?

-Injection by Rise Against }}

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. And I think you get the idea by now. I almost wish I were Kishi just so I don't have to do a disclaimer over and over. Then again, who wants deadlines? Certainly not this blueberry muffin.<strong>

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><p><strong>AN: Umm. So I had a few too many cookies today. Just wanted to say thanks for reading, I tend to have weird ideas so if things that start popping up seem to have no relevance to the story, just bear with me. Any comments or criticism are always welcome!**

**Also, thanks to Oyeboy for helping me with the fight scene. You rock! ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Training<strong>

The two sized each other up for a while before either made a move.

Naruto's patience broke and he sprang towards Kyuubi, tossing several shuriken haphazardly just for a reaction. Smirking, he muttered from the side of his mouth, "This a serious fight or are we just messing around?"

Kyuubi dodged sideways and danced around Naruto, chuckling low in his throat. "I suppose you're right. We should probably put up a barrier first, hmm? Don't want the nosy humans to come sniffing around."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "No, we don't." He jogged a few hundred feet out and placed a paper seal before doing the same with two others, forming a large triangle. Forming a single hand seal, he murmured, "Three-Seal Barrier."

Meandering back inside, Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Now we're good, right?"

Kyuubi nodded once. "Yeah." He answered shortly before springing towards Naruto. "It's nice to have a body. I haven't fought in decades."

Naruto absently stepped aside. "More like, a decade. I'm not that old you fur ball."

Kyuubi glared at Naruto. "When you've lived as long as I have, all the years blur together." Abruptly he decided the pleasantries were over and his speed dramatically increased.

Naruto noticed this, and began to concentrate on dodging instead of talking. The Kyuubi couldn't use Ninjutsu or any jutsu required much chakra, due to the fact that at the moment, he only had a limited supply of Naruto's own chakra. Naruto would definitely use that to his full advantage. Hand moving rapidly in a motion similar to the Rasengan, red chakra spiked between his palms. "Kaijin no jutsu!"(1)

Kyuubi, instead of backing off, rushed Naruto. "Come, now. You can do better than that, kit. I know all your techniques. Think you'll catch me off-guard with them?" He dodged as Naruto swiped the ball of fiery chakra towards him and swiped a bare handed slice at Naruto.

The attack grazed Naruto's arm, causing a severe burning on his flesh. Dazed, Naruto jumped back in an attempt to avoid Kurou's next flurry of blows. Even in a false body Kyuubi's speed and power were astounding.

Kyuubi plunged a kunai through Naruto's heart, and as the apparition disappeared into thin air, the real Naruto unleashed a complicated flurry of Taijutsu attacks, surprisingly sending the demon reeling for space. "Kaze no Yaiba!" Naruto formed an air current around his fingertips and sent a barrage of slicing wind at the Kyuubi.

The demon effortlessly dodged the invisible attacks and lunged at Naruto with the speed of a lightning bolt, almost landing crushing and perhaps critical blows on Naruto's body. "Sacrificing defense for offense, you know better than that, kit. Be aware of everything."

Naruto barely managed to jump back before the ground beneath Kyuubi exploded in a brilliant array of fire. Naruto planted a paper bomb beneath his feet from his previous jutsu, preparing a surprise attack for the demon. "Stupid fire-using fox," he mumbled beneath his breath, feeling the soles of his feet heat slightly from the ground's heat. "You could've killed me with that."

"Ah, but I did warn you." Unaffected by the explosion, Kyuubi glared at him with a killing intent so intense it put Naruto in a state of fear so great he could barely move. The demon slashed at Naruto with claws the size of daggers; barely able to block Kyuubi's attacks, Naruto received dozens of new incisions on his body. Though they healed almost instantaneously, the pain didn't fade nearly as quickly.

Deciding he had no choice but to go on the defensive at this point, Naruto materialized a dozen clones to assist in the fight. Three clones were dispelled instantly by the killing intent, but it didn't matter, it gave Naruto precious time to recover. He also developed an idea of the demon's presence as the clones were massacred. Kyuubi had no weakness whatsoever; he flawlessly executed attacks with no wasted movements at all.

Naruto knew he couldn't win, but he had to do something to put up at least some fight. He summoned two dozen more clones, hurled kunai at the demon, and multiplied the kunai, performing a Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Hundreds of razor sharp blades headed towards Kurou impaled him in a gruesome manner.

Or so it appeared. Kyuubi merely smiled coolly, and with a ripple of foreign chakra, sent the kunai out of his body and straight towards Naruto. The killing intent was almost too much for Naruto at this point. Dodging the kunai, Naruto made a few hand seals and murmured, "Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu", sending out enormous flame dragons from all different directions.

Although this was nearly an unavoidable attack, Kyuubi took the challenge and seemed to find pleasure rather than pain from the raging fire. Fire was a fuel for this demon.

Naruto imprudently realized this only too late. "Dang it," he muttered as Kurou seemed to disappear from thin air, appearing behind Naruto and ferociously attacking in a way only a true monster could. Coming from all different directions, Naruto felt the dagger-like claws bury in his flesh right around his throat. He was completely overwhelmed, knowing the fight to soon be over. If the demon had wanted, he clearly could've killed Naruto.

Kyuubi smirked. "That was pretty pathetic, Naruto."

Naruto sighed. "Give me a break, Kyuu. You're a friggin demon, know all my jutsu, have greater speed and strength than me, and are invulnerable to fire. I can't honestly do much against you right now."

Kyuubi chuckled. "You will always be weak compared to me, kit. There's really nothing you can do to change that, as long as you are human. However, you can surpass all the humans with my help." The demonic eyes gleamed with ambition and power, and watching the fox, Naruto believed every word.

"I'd better." Naruto responded in a somewhat arrogant tone. "Now we should probably take this barrier down before the whole town knows about it and we get interrogated."

"Hmm." Kyuubi responded neutrally. "I suppose." He finally conceded. "Remember you said you'd get new clothes. And there's another thing. That Yamanaka girl. Her clan have strange jutsus. Make sure you don't get caught in her techniques. I'm not saying this for you, but she might die." He bared his teeth in a demonic grin.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Thanks for the warning." He strode towards Kyuubi and touched his brow, returning the chakra to his body, along with the Kyuubi's presence. He quickly removed the three seals and retracted the barrier.

A frantic squad of ANBU waited outside. "Uzumaki Naruto!" One exclaimed in surprise.

Naruto mentally face-palmed himself; should've used a henge. Oh well, too late now. Summoning up a stupid expression, he gave them blank looks. "Something wrong?"

The ANBU were suspicious people, but narrow minded ones as well. "No, never mind." The ANBU finally said. A genin fresh out of the Academy would never know an S-Class Jutsu; particularly one as "stupid" as Uzumaki Naruto. Their haughtiness saved Naruto from a load of trouble. Holding back a chuckle, he strolled away from the training area.

**/So, Kyuu, erm, Kurou? What do I need to do to train?/ **Naruto spoke to the Kyuubi as he returned to his house.

**/Become stronger and faster./** The nine-tailed fox did not elaborate.

**/Come oooon, Kurou./ **Naruto knew that whining was enough to make the fox annoyed.

**/Shut up, kit. For that….heh heh heh…../ **Kyuubi snickered sinisterly.

Okay, this did not bode well. **/Kurou?/ **Naruto quested.

/**Find the one called Maito Gai. Ask him to train you a bit, to make you stronger and smarter./ **Kyuubi's gravelly voice help a definite note of glee.

**/Have it your way./ **Naruto was slightly frightened, but the fox wouldn't suggest something that was a total waste of time…right?

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><p>Kaijin no Jutsu: Ash Technique. Basically a fireball that burns anything it touches. (Gee what a surprise! I have such creativity sometimes, wouldn't you say?)<p>

Kaze no Yaiba: Blade of Wind. Assassination technique. An invisible, slicing air current somewhat like a chakra scalpel. Can be very devastating if used to cause paralysis or to hit critical points.

Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. Naruto's shadow clones transform into shuriken.

Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu: Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique. Hulking dragons made from fire. Similar to Zabuza's water dragon technique.


	5. Chapter 4: Teamwork Sessions, Pt 1

{{There are just too many times that people have tried to look inside of me  
>Wondering what I think of you and I protect you out of courtesy<br>Too many times that I've held on when I needed to push away  
>Afraid to say what was on my mind afraid to say what I need to say<br>Too many things that you've said about me when I'm not around  
>You think having the upper hand means you gotta keep putting me down<br>But I've had too many standoffs with you it's about as much as I can stand  
>So I'm waiting until the upper hand is mine.<p>

Hit the Floor – Linkin Park }}

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. So on and so forth.<strong>

**A/N: Hehe. So perhaps I had a bit _too_ much fun with this chapter. I hope you all like it. Thanks for reading, please read and review. Your reviews make me really happy! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Teamwork Sessions, Part 1<strong>

Naruto walked down the path, heading towards the small clearing Team 8 had met in yesterday. Sasuke and Ino were already there. Naruto suppressed a chuckle at the sight of Ino hanging all over Sasuke. Wordlessly he seated himself several meters away from the other two, leaning against the trunk of a tree and closing his eyes.

Naruto could feel Sasuke's eyes on him, but it wasn't uncomfortable for him. He'd received so many dirty looks since the time he could walk that one more wouldn't make a heck a lot of difference.

Kurenai-sensei arrived at that moment. "Wow, you're all early. Excellent. Well, I guess I can start the teamwork session. I want to explain a few things before we begin. What I'm going to say is something some of you might not like, but it's something that needs to be said. As far as teamwork goes, you three are horrible. Ino, all you do is look to Sasuke for help and guidance. You completely ignore Naruto. Naruto and Sasuke, you two ignore all your teammates, thinking you can get the job done better alone. As long as we are a team, I won't stand for this. Teamwork is the basis of all teams, and a professional ninja knows can get over working with people they don't like. If you want to be a ninja, you need to learn to work together with whoever you're placed with. Do you understand me?"

Ino stood up straighter and barked back, "Yes sensei!" while Naruto and Sasuke gave Kurenai grudging nods.

"Good. Since we're a new team, we're going to start with D-rank missions. These missions will be of no challenge whatsoever, but they are an important step to becoming a true shinobi. I will have no complaining. They may seem absurd, but if nothing else, will help you with your physical conditioning."

The three Genins nodded again. Ino ventured a bit to say, "But what about the teamwork session, sensei?"

Kurenai smiled. "It begins now. We'll be doing these exercises for three days, throughout our missions. Every day we'll switch activities. For now, Naruto will be with me, and Sasuke and Ino will work together." Without a pause (less chance of arguments), she reached into her weapons pouch and withdrew two blindfolds. "To start, Ino and Naruto will be blindfolded. Sasuke you will direct Ino's motion." She handed off a blindfold to both Naruto and Ino.

Naruto frowned and tied the blindfold around his eyes. This did not bode well for him…Kurenai seemed to have something to say to him. On the bright side, at least he could bring up Maito Gai…. Ino was excitedly exclaiming about the exercise as she tied the blindfold around her own eyes, but Naruto wasn't listening very closely.

Kurenai cleared her throat, probably to shut Ino up. "We're heading to the Hokage tower now, Sasuke." She informed the broody teen before laying her hand lightly on Naruto's arm to guide him. "See if you and Ino can keep up." Naruto could hear the teasing in her voice. She set the pace at a quick jog, making sure Naruto was following. Sasuke, of course, was too cool to be seen leading a girl around at a fast pace, so his footsteps sounded decidedly slower to Naruto's ears.

"Somethin you wanted to say?" Naruto mumbled in between even breaths.

Kurenai's hand twitched slightly on his arm. "Yes." She said after a moment. "It's about your kekkei genkai. The Hokage didn't seem to know much about it."

Naruto rolled his eyes behind the blindfold. "And? Clan secrets, and all that"

Kurenai's tone sharpened slightly. "Naruto. Be respectful."

Oops. She saw that after all.

"Your your clan is dead. Keeping secrets of this size to yourself guarantees that when you are gone, a valuable asset to Konoha will be lost. As your sensei and team leader, I will need to know the specifics of your kekkei genkai." Kurenai still sounded stern.

Naruto stiffened. "I understand, sensei." He muttered in a low voice. He was not very happy about this predicament. Deceptively sweetly, he added, "Would it be possible for me to ask a favor of you?"

Kurenai sighed. One day and she'd already offended a student. Oh well, he was a ninja. He'd get over it. "Of course, Naruto. What do you need?"

"I have discovered during my training that my Taijutsu needs a little work. May I train under Maito Gai for a few weeks to improve my speed and strength? Because, um, you aren't exactly a taijutsu specialist." Naruto couldn't resist the last jab.

Kurenai frowned. "I'm well aware of that, Naruto." She said, a little stiffly. "I will speak to Gai about it. It's up to him. But I'm glad to know you're taking an interest in...improving yourself."

Ha. Improving himself. He kind of liked this lady. "Thanks, Kurenai-sensei." He said, real gratitude coloring his tone. He could feel Kurenai relax somewhat after that. They spent the rest of the jog in silence.

It was a while before Sasuke and Ino arrived. Naruto smirked slightly at the aggravated expression the last Uchiha sported. At least by having these two on his team he had something to be amused about. Kurenai led them into the room where the Sandaime Hokage sat at his desk, smoking a pipe.

"Ah. Team 8." The Hokage greeted them. His gaze slid to Naruto, as if checking to see how he was doing. The boy stood quietly, arms crossed. Meeting Kurenai's eyes, the Hokage gave her a slight smile.

Kurenai smiled back. "We've come to request a mission, Hokage-sama."

The old man rummaged around on the messy desk. "I have just the thing for you." He picked up a page and handed it to Kurenai. "Any of those are acceptable."

Kurenai scanned over the list quickly. Catch the cat…no. Just no. Weed a garden…..too difficult with two blindfolded people. Coming to the bottom of the list, she smiled Perfect. "Team 8 accepts the mission of mapping the forests of Kazaha-san's land."

Naruto could see where this was going. Wandering around in a forest blindfolded…..yikes. Well, at least Kurenai was guiding him.

Team 8 left the building and headed towards where the mission would take place. Upon arrival, Kurenai threw them all a curve ball. "All right. Ino, come with me. We're be mapping the east side. Sasuke and Naruto, you two map the west."

"…you just had to do that now, didn't you?" Naruto sighed. He could practically _feel_ the smugness oozing from Sasuke's pores. "You should leave a clone here or he'll run me off a cliff."

The only comment from the Uchiha was a very sinister sounding, "Hn."

_He sounds like he quite likes that idea_, Naruto thought suspiciously.

Kurenai smiled. "Sasuke wouldn't fail a mission just to purposefully injure his teammate, Naruto. You'll be fine."

"That's what _you_ think," Naruto murmured, but he let it slide.

Kurenai turned to leave, Ino at her side. "Oh. One more thing, Sasuke. There is an object hidden here that you must retrieve, even if it isn't part of the mission. You will know this object when you see it. You can't touch it yourself. Naruto has to retrieve it. Have fun!" with a jaunty wave her and Ino continued on their way.

Naruto let loose a long, pained sigh. "Why does that sound way more troublesome than she wants us to think?"

Sasuke snorted. Naruto could feel the raven move closer and a hand suddenly clamped down on a particularly painful spot between his shoulder and neck. Stifling a hiss, Naruto waited for Sasuke to move or say something.

It was a long while before Sasuke finally said, "Dobe. Let's finish this mission."

Naruto _did_ hiss this time. With annoyance. "Who do you think I'm waiting on, teme?"

Two hours later, Naruto had run into six trees, nearly had his eye poked out by a wayward branch, tripped over three rocks, and the map was finished. He refused to believe any of these things were an accident.

However, they had yet to spot the "item" Kurenai had referred to.

Sasuke had adamantly insisted that it would be somewhere near the back part of the woods, because it was the longest distance and therefore the hardest to find. They had traversed the whole area (or so Naruto suspected) several times already. He had no way of knowing for real, of course, seeing that he was blindfold. But Sasuke was an Uchiha. That was reason enough.

"Hey, teme. Ever think of looking somewhere you _don't_ expect a hidden item to be at?" Naruto couldn't help himself, he was getting annoyed.

The hand on his collarbone tightened. "Hn. Dobe." Was all the reply he received.

Letting loose an extremely loud "AARGH!" was Naruto's reply back.

The fox stirred, awakened by his agitation. **/Naruto. What's going on?/**

Naruto sighed. **/Sasuke's being a prick. We're supposed to be finding a hidden item and he's leading me around in circles./ **

Kyuubi seemed to find this extremely entertaining. **/Oh, that old trick. Genjutsu specialists love it. Your mother's team got the same test. Tell the Uchiha there's probably a Genjutsu./**

Naruto nearly face-palmed himself. What a simple trick! He felt incredibly stupid now. "Hrm. Sasuke. Is there a Genjutsu?"

The raven paused. Muttering a low curse, he pulled his hand from Naruto's shoulder, made a hand seal and whispered, "Kai!"

Apparently the fox was right, because a moment later, Sasuke grumbled, "I see the 'item'. You have to get it, dobe. It's up a tree."

"Thanks, teme. I'll just do that." Throwing his hands towards heaven, Naruto continued in an exasperated tone, "There are millions of trees here, Sasuke. Show me which one."

Sasuke smirked and shoved Naruto into said tree.

Naruto's eye twitched beneath the blindfold, but he didn't give Sasuke a reaction. Instead he began climbing the tree. He had always been good at climbing...luckily for the last Uchiha. After a few more instructions from the raven he reached the item and scooped it up. "What is this thing, anyways?" Naruto patted it down and promptly stabbed himself. Apparently a kunai.

Sasuke grunted. "Hn. Dobe."

Naruto growled. "Is that all you can say?" Shaking his head he muttered, "Never mind." Climbing down from the tree he added, "Let's get back to Kurenai-sensei. We'll probably have another mission after lunch."

Sasuke gripped Naruto's shoulder again and steered him back towards the place their sensei had left them. Ino and Kurenai-sensei waited for them.

Ino looked delighted at the emo's sudden appearance. "Sasuke-kun!" She shouted before glomping him.

Sasuke promptly shoved her off and took three steps back, looking murderous.

Naruto laughed. "The last Uchiha: driven back by a fan girl." He narrated from behind Sasuke. Neither of his teammates appeared to appreciate his wit, seeing as he could feel the heat of their glares through the blindfold. "Hey, lighten up, kiddos."

Ino's fist crashed down on Naruto's head. "Shut up, Naruto! You're so annoying! And you're younger than us…I think. My birthday's September 23rd." She turned to bat her eyes at Sasuke, and Naruto made a gagging motion behind her back. Sasuke couldn't hold back a tiny snort at the dobe's antics. "Sasuke-kun, when is your birthday?"

The raven frowned. He didn't really want the fan girls to have any more ammunition, but they _were_ working on teamwork… "July 23rd."

"Ahh! Sasuke-kun's so mature!" Ino squealed.

Naruto snorted. "He's two months older than you, stupid. That isn't very much maturity. And judging by _your_ level-ow."

Ino's fist against smashed down on his head. "Geez, ease up. We're teammates, piggy." Naruto complained.

Ino's eyes blazed. "DON'T CALL ME THAT, NARUTOOOO!" She moved towards him, ready to beat him up. Luckily, Kurenai intervened.

"That's enough, Ino. Aren't you going to ask Naruto's birthday?" The dark-haired sensei narrowed her eyes at the younger kunoichi.

Naruto's whole expression darkened at the mention of his birthday. "No need." He replied calmly. "I don't want to talk about it anyways." He turned away from his team, posture rigid. "Are we finished, _sensei?"_ The last word was practically venomous.

"Yes. After lunch, meet me back at the normal place at 1:30. We'll do another mission. You can take off your blindfolds for now, also."

Naruto ripped the cloth from his eyes and stalked away without a backward glance.

_Stupid, stupid sensei._ The ramen didn't even taste as heavenly as it normally did. After a measly four bowls (he couldn't stomach anything else), Naruto found himself with an hour of time to do with as he wished.

Returning to his apartment, he sprawled back on his bed and closed his eyes. **/Kyuu?/**

The fox's reply was instantaneous. **/What is it, kit?/**

**/Wake me up when I need to get going./** Naruto rolled over and promptly fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 5: Teamwork Sessions, Pt 2

{ You take the breath right out of me.  
>You left a hole where my heart should be.<br>You got to fight just to make it through,  
>'cause I will be the death of you.<p>

~ Breath by Breaking Benjamin }

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><p><strong>AN: Hello again! ;) For those of you who are waiting for all the action, just want to apologize for the slow progression. But I'm getting there, don't fear. Just got a few things to work out first. As for pairings….I'm not really sure yet. Feel free to PM me with suggestions or preferences. As of this point I'm not sure that I want to do any pairings…..but I'm ruled by majority. So let me know, guys. Please read and review, for reviews will make me sing with joy and dance around the room.**

**Well. Probably not. But it could happen. Hehe.**

**Oh yeah. And there was one other thing I wanted to clear up. Since Naruto was average in the Academy, he never formed that "bond" with Iruka. So he and Iruka aren't close. In fact, Naruto doesn't really have anyone close to him except the Kyuubi. Just keep that in mind as the story progresses…..**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, yup yup.<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Teamwork Sessions, Pt. 2<strong>

**/Naruto. It's time./** The deep voice woke Naruto instantly.

The hyperactive blonde sat up. **/Thanks, Kurou./ **Rubbing his eyes and rising to his feet, Naruto blearily stumbled to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face before jogging out the door. Locking the door with extreme care, he returned to the clearing for the second time that day. They were all waiting for him. Face and eyes completely blank, he stepped up to meet them. As soon as their eyes turned towards him, he plastered on a huge grin. "What's up, team?"

Kurenai-sensei sighed in exasperation, but was a little relieved that Naruto was okay. He'd seemed pretty upset earlier. Cutting of any impending arguments, she spoke up, "Good, you're here. We're going back to the Hokage's office for another mission. This time Sasuke and I will wear the blindfolds."

Smirking, Naruto chunked his blindfold at Sasuke, who caught it with a scowl. Ino gave hers to Kurenai, scowling at Naruto for taking her precious opportunity to talk to "Sasuke-kun".

Kurenai continued, "Ino, you lead Sasuke this time. Naruto, come with me." She tied the blindfold over her eyes and waited for him to join her. They left without a glance back. Once again waiting until they were out of earshot, Kurenai told Naruto, "I spoke to Gai. He was perfectly fine with you joining him." Unable to keep the amusement out of her voice, she added, "They meet at the west training field at 5:30."

Naruto simply blinked in astonishment at the absurd time. Sighing he rubbed the back of his head and nodded. "Thanks. I'll be there."

Kurenai raised her eyebrows, somewhat surprised. _I thought he'd give up, _she admitted to herself. "Very good, I will let Gai know. As for your kekkei genkai…."

Naruto interrupted, "I know, sensei. When the opportunity comes, I'll…..show you. But not with anyone else around. Um, it takes a lot of energy, too." Ha. Understatement. Though the energy wasn't really the problem…..but she didn't have to know that.

Kurenai was satisfied with that answer, luckily. "Good. And Naruto…if you need something, just tell me."

He was kinda glad she was blindfolded; his expression was positively skeptical. "Right. Thanks." He considered telling her that he would, but he didn't really want to lie about something so stupid.

"Another mission, hm?" The Sandaime blew a puff of smoke from his pipe and again reached for a sheaf of papers on his desk.

Naruto stared out the window, not really paying attention. He just wanted to end this mission and start training. **/Hey, Kyuu. Anything I can do to train during this mission? I'm so bored./**

The fox's reply was instant. **/Chakra control. You need it for the next jutsu I'm gonna give you, anyways. /**

**/Aw, come ON! That again! Haven't I done that enough?/ **Naruto sighed. **/Fine, you win. What do I do?/**

**/Use your chakra to erase the tracks you leave. Do you know how to do it?/ **Kyuubi yawned.

**/Just maintain a constant flow on the soles of my feet, right? Then I won't leave any tracks./ **Naruto reasoned.

**/Right. Have fun, kit./** Kyuubi returned to his nap.

"Lazy fur ball," Naruto mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Kurenai glared at Naruto, knowing he hadn't heard a word anyone just said.

"Umm…what?" Naruto muttered intelligently.

"I asked you, Naruto if it's true that you can make Kage Bunshin. You're to go with Sasuke to the supermarket. You're grocery shopping for the mission while Ino and I cook." Kurenai tapped her foot, impatient and annoyed.

"Um. Right. I can make Kage Bunshin. " Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

"Then bring the items over with a clone as soon as you've found them. Payment has already been arranged. They're listed by recipe, bring the first recipe's ingredients first. Got it?" Kurenai narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, Kurenai-sensei." Naruto held back a chuckle. It was kinda funny how annoyed she was. Clearly he'd found her pet peeve already. "We'll go right away." Grabbing Sasuke's forearm Naruto steered him outside. "This is dumb." He sighed under his breath.

"Dobe?" The Uchiha questioned.

"We're going to the supermarket, all right? Don't call me that, Uchiha." Too busy concentrating the chakra to his feet, Naruto wasn't in the mood for conversation. Especially one-sided conversation, where he did all the work.

"Hn." Satisfied he'd gotten under Naruto's skin, the raven fell silent. Inwardly, though he was burning with curiosity. What was going on? It was irritating not to be able to see.

While practicing chakra control, Naruto barely managed to deal with Sasuke, find all the items on the list, and send them on via shadow clone to Kurenai and Ino. All in all, it required a lot more concentration than it should have.

/**The increase in chakra control better be worth it, you dumb fox,/** Naruto threatened the Kyuubi.

The nine-tailed demon merely laughed. **/It's good for you, Naruto./**

Naruto didn't bother to reply. Practically dragging the very frustrated Uchiha, he returned to where Ino and Kurenai were cooking. "That's everything," he added unnecessarily.

Kurenai barely glanced up. "Good job, you and Sasuke can head home now. I'll give you your pay later. Oh, and Naruto. Sasuke can't take off the blindfold until he's in his house."

Naruto's eyebrows twitched, and his facial expression was incredulous."Are you telling me to walk the teme home?"

Kurenai, amused, finally looked Naruto in the face. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

Naruto pressed his fingertips to his temple, feeling a headache coming on. "Why do the heavens hate me?" He bemoaned to the skies.

Kurenai simply chuckled.

Abruptly, a clenched fist flew in front of his face. Sasuke had missed by a barely centimeter. "Dobe. Let's go. I have things to do."

Naruto wheeled on the annoyed raven, grabbing his shirt collar. "Oh yes, because everything is all about you, Sasuke-hime!" he yelled before dragging the somewhat stunned Uchiha off.

A few seconds later, the sounds of a fight drifted to their ears.

Kurenai wiped a tear away from her eye, sides shaking. "Ah, perhaps being a jounin sensei wasn't as boring as I thought…..."

Ino simply watched her sensei with something akin to concern.

When Naruto finally got Sasuke home, both the shinobi had their share of bruises. Practically throwing the raven through his front door, Naruto hurried home.

**/Can I start on the new move now?/ **Naruto bugged the Kyuubi on his way home.

**/I seem to remember that you have a promise to keep first, kit./ **Kyuubi grumped.

**/Promise?/ **Naruto thought about it for a moment. **/Ohhh. New clothes, right. I guess I should do that first, eh?/ **With an awkward little laugh Naruto turned and looked around before doing a henge. He couldn't get any _good_ clothes as himself, for sure. That was the reason he'd had the orange in the first place. **/What should I get, Kyuu?/**

The demon roared in his head. **/I am not a fashion consultant, you brat! I'm a demon! The most powerful demon there is! Find someone else to help you do your shopping!/ **A mental door was slammed, and silence followed.

_Ehehe, I guess that was kinda the wrong thing to say._ Naruto winced slightly at his own eagerness. _Well, no one else is gonna help me, for sure. Guess I'll just have to pick up whatever I like best. _

Turning again, he headed back towards the ninja clothing store. Inside, he glanced around. _What color do I want? A ninja should blend in…..so brown, green, black..gray? Soo boring…I could probably get away with red. Red sounds good. _

He took his time browsing. It was nice, being able to look around without people throwing him out….

Finally he decided on two different outfits. He'd been saving up money since he was in the Academy, having a feeling he'd need it for _something_ or other. Lucky for him, he'd been right. Well, it was Kurou's idea, but…whatever. The fox was sulking so he could claim the idea without getting in trouble.

The first outfit looked very similar to an ANBU outfit, except that it was black and dark red instead of white and black. Black ninja sandals, baggy black capris, a black tank top, and black sleeves from his hands to past his elbows. Dark red arm guards, and a red short-sleeved jacket. The jacket was practical, because if he was ever on a mission where anonymity was required, the hood could cover his dead obvious bright blonde hair.

The second outfit was a more casual one. He'd originally planned to get only one, but he'd had fun and ended up picking out two. He wouldn't ever wear the second training or doing missions, but he didn't really mind. He'd picked out black jeans, slightly baggy but still form-fitting, a olive green and tan striped long sleeve shirt, and another short-sleeved hoodie, this one black.

Paying for his purchases, Naruto left the store. He walked all the way home before releasing his henge. Unlocking the apartment door, he stepped inside.

**/Kyuubi? You can stop sulking now. I'm done./ **Naruto laughed.

The great demon fox growled. **/I was ****not**** sulking, Naruto. Since you kept your promise, get changed, and let's go. I'll show you the new move. You'll have to use **_**that**_** technique first, or I can't show you./ **

Naruto felt an excited shiver flit across his skin, leaving goose bumps. **/Of course. Hang on./ **Clipping the tags from his new purchases, he quickly changed into the first outfit he'd picked out and dashed towards the training fields.

**/Naruto./** The voice held a slightly urgent note. **/Naruto, you forgot to lock the door./ **

Naruto skidded to a stop, eyes wide and a bit fearful. **/Thanks, Kurou…if you hadn't…/ **he trailed off and turned, locking the apartment door before continuing to the training field.

Sitting down on the grass, Naruto concentrated his chakra and prepared the technique, murmuring, "Maboroshi no Jutsu."

Opening his eyes, he again faced the Kyuubi's avatar. Rising to feet, he grinned.

Kurou grinned back at him. "Good, Naruto." Glancing down at his human hand, he flexed it. "This body is strange." Shaking his head, he added, "My form might waver a bit, since I'm using a bit of the chakra. Just a warning. You might have to give me more." Glancing down at his hand again, a red spiral sphere formed. "This is called the Rasengan. It was your father's technique, kit. I thought you'd like to know it. Did you watch how I did it?"

Naruto nodded. "I can't really see it very well, but you're rotating the chakra, right?"

Kurou smiled. "Right. It'll be difficult to learn…but now that you've seen I think you've grasped the concept, right? Oh, and yours should be blue, by the way."

Naruto nodded again. "Yeah, I understand how it's done, at least. Thanks, Kurou. I'll work on it. Anything else?"

The fox in human form placed his hands behind his hand and lazily leaned back. "Your bloodline limit, Naruto. What are you going to do about the female?"

Naruto scowled. "Don't remind me. I'll use a low level and hope she doesn't ask for more. Unfortunately I can't really refuse her, without making her even more suspicious. And suspicion is the last thing I need from someone I'll see every day. Anything else?"

"Hmm. Just a warning. Don't train too long. You'll need all your energy in the morning. I'd also suggest summoning one of the kits to keep watch around your house, as well. It's been too long without trouble, something's bound to happen soon. Ah. You should seal your new clothes away, as well."

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, what a slave driver. I'll do it when I'm done training. Thanks…Kurou." Bringing his hands together in a seal, the technique dispelled.

Naruto turned to the training grounds, ready to begin trying to master the Rasengan.

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><p><strong>Maboroshi no Jutsu: Phantom Technique. Naruto's technique, used to give the Kyuubi a temporary body of chakra. <strong>

**(A/N 2: **Also, to those of you who are wondering why the Kyuubi knows Rasengan, he fought against the Fourth. He most likely used the Rasengan at some point, if only as a distraction. It wouldn't be hard for a demon that old to grasp the concept, neh? )


	7. Chapter 6: Maito Gai, Kekkei Genkai

{{'Cause you're losing your mind

And you're sleeping with wide open eyes

Where is the edge of your darkest emotions?

Why does it all survive?

Where is the light of your deepest devotions?

I pray that it's still alive

~ Where is the Edge by Within Temptation }}

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><p><strong>AN: Yoo! Sorry it's been a while, I guess. I had to travel to Atlanta last weekend so I got quite a bit of time to write in the airport. Is it just me or does everyone hate airports? **

**Anyways, today I'm finally revealing a bit of Naruto's kekkei genkai. I'll elaborate more on the future, as Naruto isn't quite sure the limits of it quite yet. Kurenai's kekkei genkai will also be discussed in the future. **

**I have two short little questions for all you readers. First of all, I've only gotten two pairings mentioned so far. I quite like one of them (not quite sure how it'll be brought about) but any more pairings you guys want? I'm not a fan of Sakura with anyone…..but we'll see. I guess just let me know your opinions, please. **

**Beyond that, what do you guys think about the Wave mission?. Should it still be about the same, or should I change things up a bit? Obviously I have to include it…Sasuke needs his Sharingan, after all. Please read and review and tell me what you think. Well, time to get the ball rolling. I'm not sure if this will be an extremely long chapter or if I'll divide it into two…..probably just a giant one. Well, giant compared to my other chapters, anyways. xD I'm gonna apologize now for that, I'm horrible at starting and finishing things. In the middle, though, it should be smooth sailing. **

**Okay, babbling now. I'll let you get to the story. That is, if you're even reading this. I hope you are…but yup. On with the show.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Maito Gai, Kekkei Genkai<p>

"You've got to be kidding me."

Naruto stared. He couldn't stop staring. Why? Just why? Spandex is a bad look for anyone. Green spandex…..who would go there?

But green spandex, bowl haircuts, and the bushiest eyebrows imaginable….It's just the scariest combo.

**/Kurou. I'm gonna kill you later…/ **Naruto muttered to the fox, who only snickered in reply.

The green beasts of Konoha noticed Naruto's approach. "Naruto-san! How youthful of you to join us!" The taller one bellowed, charging towards him in an all together frightening sight.

Naruto winced visibly. "Y-yo…." He managed.

Gai pressed the heels of his hands to his forehead and yelled, "What a hip greeting! Lee! Naruto-san is clearly worthy of becoming your eternal rival!"

"Yosh, Gai-sensei! Our fires of youth will burn brightly!" Mini-Gai, apparently his name was Lee, had visible flames in his eyes. He was really freaking Naruto out.

Naruto sweat-dropped. "Um. Okay. I assume you are Maito Gai?" he addressed the taller one.

The man nodded, gave Naruto a thumbs up, and grinned hugely. His teeth sparkled and made a noise. "I am Maito Gai, and this is my cute student, Lee!"

The Gai Junior kid gave Naruto a salute. "Yosh! I am Rock Lee! It is good to meet you, Naruto-kun!"

"Likewise," Naruto mumbled, somewhat untruthfully. "I am happy to train with you and your….youthful sensei." He grimaced slightly, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

Lee didn't seem to notice. His eyes were shining;. "Yes! Gai-sensei is the greatest and wisest sensei!"

Gai laughed freakishly. "Now we will train! Naruto-san! You will spar with Lee!"

Naruto's mouth quirked down on one side. He knew Lee had a year of experience on him, and that was a large gap to cross. "Yes, sensei. Any rules?"

Gai nodded wisely. "Taijutsu only!

Lee readied himself for the spar, seeming eager. "It is always a pleasure to test oneself against a strong opponent." He remarked happily.

Naruto inclined his head as reply and readied himself. He would not underestimate Rock Lee….

Gai was watching Naruto closely. "Yosh! Begin!" he said suddenly.

Lee immediately launched himself towards Naruto. "Konoha Senpuu!"

Naruto blocked with his arms and skidded back a few feet. This kid was strong, and fast. Without ninjutsu or his kekkei genkai, there was no way he could keep up. Of course, that was why he was here; so that in the future there wouldn't be a situation like this. But for now, he just had to do his best. He didn't know any special taijutsu forms yet…and the basics, when facing the student of a specialist, were not enough.

Naruto got in a hit or two, but the spar ended rather quickly with his defeat.

Lee helped Naruto to his feet. "Good fight, Naruto-kun. Surely you have much greater strength in ninjutsu. I am slightly envious. I cannot perform ninjutsu."

Naruto nodded. "So I've heard. It takes a lot of hard work to stand where you're standing, Lee. You are truly a genius of hard work."

Lee looked like he was about to cry for his happiness. "Naruto-kun!" he cried, lip trembling.

Naruto grinned back. "Call me Naruto. I'll appreciate your help during this training, Lee."

The green-clad ninja nodded vigorously.

Gai came over and put a hand on either boy's shoulder. "A shining display of youthfulness!" he exclaimed. "But now we must train for the explosions of youth ahead. Naruto-san, please address me as Gai-sensei. For the beginning of your training, I have something for you." From a bag on the ground Gai pulled out a strange mechanism with a few weights held in it.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, interested. "Weights?"

Gai-sensei nodded. "They are to help increase your youthful power. Please, take them."

Naruto took them, and Gai showed him how to fasten them around his calves.

Gai continued, "You should be steadily increasing the weight. When you don't notice the weight anymore, wait two days, and then add one of these to each leg." Gai handed Naruto a bag full of 20 pound weights. "When your weight braces are full, come to me! For your fires of youth, I will get you heavier ones."

"Awesome! Thanks Gai-sensei!" Naruto grinned.

The green beast of Konoha waved him off. "It's nothing, Naruto-san! Now come, Lee, Naruto-san! We shall run 200 laps around Konoha!"

"Yes, sensei!" The two chorused. Naruto twitched. "Ehm, wait. Just call me Naruto. And…..please don't ever call me your cute student. And-" Naruto realized he was being left behind and yelled, "Ahh! Wait for me!" sprinting after the two.

Naruto fell back against the ground, exhausted. Before he forgot, he quickly made a clone and sent it to deliver the bag full of weights to his apartment.

Gai and Lee looked at Naruto. Both were grinning. "Until tomorrow, Naruto!" Lee yelled excitedly.

Naruto managed a smile back. "Yeah. Thanks for letting me train with you!"

Gai-sensei nodded. "It was my pleasure to assist you in the growth of your youthfulness! Tomorrow I will watch you burn bright when I demonstrate taijutsu forms."

Naruto's smiled widened. "Excellent." He caught a glimpse of someone approaching. "It appears your team is coming. I'd best join my team as well." Standing, Naruto gave a slight bow and left. On the way he brushed past a girl with twin buns on either side of her head. "Who's that?" he heard her ask Gai-sensei as he disappeared from view.

After a bit of Rasengan training, Naruto met his team at the usual clearing.

Kurenai-sensei beamed at him when he approached. "Naruto! I'm glad you're here. Now we can get started."

Ino was, as usual, pestering Sasuke. The raven ignored her and watched Naruto. He looked like he'd been doing hard training. He wouldn't lose to the dobe!

Naruto plopped on the ground next to Ino.

The blonde girl wrinkled her nose. "Gross, Naruto! You smell horrible!"

Naruto grunted. "As a kunoichi, that should be the last of your worries…..Ino."

Kurenai sent them both a stern look. "All right, enough. As Naruto has already been training, I thought it best we did some training. I have a scroll here for you two. While I speak to Naruto, you two practice these moves." She tossed a scroll to Ino and Sasuke. Turning to Naruto, she gestured for him to follow her. Out of hearing distance she told him, "I'm going to put Sasuke and Ino under a simple Genjutsu. They won't see anything, nor will anyone else who comes anywhere within sight distance. It's time for you to show me your kekkei genkai, Naruto."

Naruto nodded his assent. Kurenai performed a quick series of hand seals. "All right. Before you begin, will you outline the basic concept?"

The blonde let out a long breath. "Fine. My kekkei genkai, in a way, is sort of like a stopwatch. When something happens, I can sorta stop time." Fumbling for words, Naruto waved his hands a bit before continuing, "It's not all powerful or anything. How far back you can change things is limited by your chakra supply. And if it use it too much, there are…consequences." He paused again. "This is hard to explain. Umm, you know how the blood cells in your body attack foreign things they come across? Basically, if I use my kekkei genkai enough on the same person, I become the foreign thing. Whatever is affected by me changing things will unconsciously begin to attack me. I don't mean like, beating me up, " _though that HAS happened…. _"It's more like I'm an outsider. They won't trust me, and anything I say will be rejected subconsciously." Naruto's eyes darkened. "Is that enough? I don't like using it because of the consequences, so I don't really know much about it yet. It's not like there's scrolls lying around to teach me about it."

Kurenai kept her expression neutral. "Does it have any other…properties?"

Naruto thought about it. "It's a dojutsu. My eyes turn grey. As I haven't used it much, it's possible that it will develop further. Since it was my father's bloodline limit, and I don't have access to his scrolls, I don't know all that much about it, as I said."

Kurenai's eyes widened slightly. "You know who your father is? I've never even heard of your kekkei genkai before now."

Naruto realized his blunder and his expression became veiled. "I don't want to talk about it." He said simply.

Kurenai sighed. "I'll respect that. Will you show me now?"

Naruto grinned, hiding his discomfort. "It goes like this. I'm going to say something, jump back in time a bit, and ask you what I said. You'll answer instantly, and this conversation will flood back to you."

Naruto closed his eyes, and when he opened them, they were a murky grey color. "Clouds." He grinned. It reminded him of Shikamaru. Focusing his mind and chakra, he reached into the time flow…

"I'm going to put Sasuke and Ino under a Genjutsu. They won't see-"

Naruto interrupted, "Clouds."

Kurenai paused mid-sentence as she suddenly remembered their whole conversation. "That's incredible," she finally said.

Naruto only gave her a grim smile. "But not very useful when I know next to nothing about it. Are you okay? Sometimes a rush of information like that makes people lightheaded."

Kurenai-sensei ruffled Naruto's hair. "Don't worry about me, Naruto. Thank you for sharing this with me. I'm going to speak to the Sandaime about finding you more information. It's something you should have access to."

Naruto hummed for a moment. "I know where to look, but jii-san won't let me in there. My best guess says it's at the Namikaze complex." Quickly scanning his mind, Naruto came up with an acceptable lie. "He was the Yondaime Hokage, so a lot of the classified information is at his estate."

Kurenai seemed to buy it. "I'll speak to him about it."

Naruto couldn't resist a yell of joy. "Thank you, sensei! That's so cool!"

Kurenai laughed. "I'll always be happy to help you, Naruto. Is there anything else? Oh, and how did your training with Gai go?"

Naruto smiled. "Thanks. I don't think there's anything else. The training went well. Gai-sensei is…Gai-sensei. He gave me weights. They're already helping."

Kurenai snorted. "Gai is certainly…eccentric. I'm glad he could help you, though. We should get back to Ino and Sasuke now. They'll be getting suspicious." She laughed again.

The two headed back to the rest of their team.

Sasuke and Ino both stopped what they were doing to watch their approach, curious.

Ino was the first to speak up. "What were you talking about?"

Naruto answered for her. "I'm training with another sensei in Taijutsu in addition to Kurenai-sensei. We were just making arrangements."

Ino and Sasuke were both surprised. Naruto was receiving private Taijutsu training? "From who?" Sasuke couldn't contain his curiosity.

"Maito Gai, one of Konoha's Taijutsu specialists." Clearing her throat meaningfully, she added, "How are those jutsus coming along?" she asked pointedly.

Ino laughed nervously. "They'll take a few days, sensei." She told Kurenai.

The Genjutsu specialist just nodded. "All right. We won't be sparring today. There are a few things we should talk about before we move on to anything else. Regarding the teamwork sessions, I noticed some things that gave me a bit of worry. Sasuke, you tend to ignore your teammates. While perhaps this is fine outside missions and training, they are still a part of your team and you must act as a unit. Teammates must also have absolute trust and confidence in each other. As a kunoichi, Ino, I'm very disappointed in you. Naruto is a strong ninja, and you constantly insult him, showing you are really the weak one. With Sasuke, you constantly bother and annoy him. Unless you improve yourself, Ino, you will be the death of your team. I'm being very serious here and I expect for you to treat it as such. And Naruto, due to Ino's shortcomings, you underestimate her potential. You're reluctant to share anything of a personal nature with either of your teammates, simply because of your dislike for them." Taking a breath, Kurenai concluded, "Your teamwork sucks. Until it improves, I'm not allowing you to take any missions."

Naruto sighed and nodded. Sasuke seemed livid but he was smart enough not to protest. Ino looked a little green.

"Since we won't be doing missions, we'll work on fixing our weaknesses as a team. You'll spend time together outside of team sessions. An no, Ino, this does not mean a date." Rolling her eyes, the dark-haired beauty kept going, "Today, I want you to spend some time with Naruto. You two barely know each other. If you put aside your presuppositions, I think you would realize you are more alike than you think."

Ino and Naruto exchanged looks. "Yes, sensei." They chorused. Neither was very happy about this situation.

Kurenai seemed satisfied. "Good. You are both to take the other to three of your favorite places. And Sasuke? Your turn will come. Think about where you'd like to go. As for now, enjoy your day off. Oh, and once you've used three places, you have to choose three different ones for your other teammate. Ino and Naruto, when you finish going to those six places, you can head home. Have fun! I'll be going now." Kurenai made a hand seal and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke smirked at them and sauntered away.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto turned to Ino. "She said to improve our teamwork, so I'll tell you precisely why I don't like you. I don't like you because you suck as a ninja. You're a smart girl, but obviously somewhere along the way you devolved into an idiot fangirl. Sasuke clearly has no interest in you, and yet you squander away your career as a ninja to chase him. I will never understand someone as shallow as you. And unless you shape up, I'll never have any respect for you." Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at her. "If what I just said makes you angry, it's probably because it's all true. If things don't start changing, I'll be finding a different team. I can't work with someone I don't respect in the slightest."

Ino's mouth was hanging open. For once, she seemed at a loss for words. Finally she sputtered, "Naruto! It's not like you're so great yourself! Sasuke beats you every day! I got better scores than you in the Academy! And I may not be the strongest ninja around, but there is no way you can call me weak without fixing your own problems first! You're annoying. You're so average and don't stand out in anything. The only reason you've gotten away with making so much trouble is because your parents aren't around to scold you! In fact, you're lucky. My parents do nothing but nag. I'm under so much pressure from them, and I don't need it from you, loser!"

Naruto's gaze grew cold, and a painfully icy aura surrounded him. "Don't speak such crap when you have no idea what it's like. You know nothing of about the pain of being alone. My parents died upon the altar of sacrifice for Konoha. Sometimes I wonder if this village is worth it." Naruto's' eyes gained a far-away look. "Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm normal; I'm a sacrifice as much as they were. And the fact that you don't understand what I mean only proves my point."

Ino chewed her lip. "Okay. Fine. I'll treat you professionally if you do the same for me."

Naruto shook his head. "The difference between you and me is I actually act professional. You're just a little girl that gives kunoichi a bad name. Kurenai-sensei probably picked you for this team to fix you before you disgrace yourself further. If you were a true kunoichi, you'd understand how lucky you are. No, Ino, I won't treat you like a kunoichi until you prove you are one."

Ino's mouth firmed with anger. "Fine, forget being civil. This is why I hate you, Naruto."

Ino was shocked when Naruto simply laughed in reply. "One more person won't make much difference. Besides, I am being civil. I didn't lie to you. Would you rather I did?" he gave her a flat look. "Don't answer that. All I'm trying to say is, as my teammate, I don't trust you to watch my back. I'm sure Sasuke would say the same. That's a problem." He grinned slightly. "Sasuke's a bastard, but he is a competent ninja. He wants to be strong. Granted, he goes about it the wrong way, but he truly wants to be strong. I don't like him, but I can respect him. The only reason you've survived this long as a ninja is because of your family. Where do you think you'd be if you were like me? Have you even considered it? I don't have family techniques. My parents won't be contacting the Academy for private sessions and extra help. Since I was five I've lived alone, and I can't just ask for things I need. I have to work for them. Since the teachers hated me, I had to learn to do everything myself. You have no idea how far ahead of you that puts me. But I'm tired of talking about things over your head. Let's get this little side trip over with." Naruto turned and strode away, anger reverberating in his footsteps.

Ino grabbed his shoulder roughly. "Fine, then. You want me to prove myself? What do I have to do?"

Naruto didn't turn around, but he stopped walking. "Ask Kurenai what you need to improve. If she can't help you, figure out who can."

Ino's grip tightened painfully. "Fine. I'll join you for Taijutsu training at blah o' clock. I'll try harder. I'll do what you say, if it makes sense. But only if you treat me as an equal."

Naruto nodded once. "If you improve yourself, I'd be happy to."

Ino released him. "Good. Now where are we going?"

"Ichiraku. We can get lunch and knock out one of my '3 places'. Is that okay with you?" Naruto turned his blues on her.

"I guess so." Ino came beside Naruto as they walked. They stepped up to the ramen stall and sat down at the counter. After both had ordered and eaten, they left the stand.

Naruto was less grumpy now after a bellyful of his favorite food. "Where to?" he quizzed her.

Ino smiled. "My family's flower shop."

Naruto winced slightly. "Girls and their flowers…." He mumbled.

Ino's fist crashed down on his head. Just like old times. "It's my choice where to go, so you don't get to complain. Now let's go."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yes ma'am." He muttered sarcastically. Ino dragged him along to the shop and in through the door.

"Dad! I'm here for a quick visit!" she yelled, nearly deafening Naruto.

Ino's father emerged from the back of the store. "Honey!" Inoichi Yamanaka beamed at his daughter. "What brings you here?"

Ino tossed her head proudly. "I'm improving my teamwork! Naruto came along." She gestured behind her to where the blonde was standing.

Naruto waved. "Yo." He didn't bother introducing himself…he never did. Everyone knew him on sight, after all. It's why he never made friends.

Inoichi's lips quirked downwards somewhat. _The Kyuubi brat is my daughter's teammate? _"Hello, Uzumaki-san. I am Ino's father, Inoichi Yamanaka. It is…nice…to meet one of Ino's teammates."

Naruto could tell he was lying. It was obvious. He was an accomplished liar, after all. "Likewise." He said simply.

Inoichi's face twitched slightly. "Well, I'm sure you don't want to be chatting with me, so please feel free to look around." Wrapping his fingers around his daughters wrist, he yanked her away. "Ino, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Naruto sighed. "I'll be outside," he murmured, voice strangely subdued. He seemed smaller as he left the store.

Ino gave her father a quizzical look. "Something up, Dad?"

"Stay away from that boy, Ino. He's bad news." Inoichi released his daughter and went into the back of the flower shop, leaving her staring confusedly at his back. _Huh. Well that was…strange. Guess I'd best get going. _

Ino joined Naruto outside. He was staring off into space with a far-away look again. "Hey, Naruto. Sorry about that. My dad wasn't feeling too well." She didn't know why she was making excuses, but it felt like the right thing to do for some reason.

Naruto simply sighed. "It's all right, Ino. I'm used to it, you don't have to lie for him. We're going to the Hokage Monument next." He led the way.

They climbed the monument at sat on the Yondaime's head.

Ino was curious. "Why is this your favorite place?"

Naruto was staring out at Konoha. "It reminds me of what is really important."

The wind picked up, and Ino stared out at Konoha. She was interrupted from her thoughts when Naruto spoke up again. "Ne, Ino. Do you have a dream?"

She turned to look at him. He was still staring into the distance. "I don't really know what I want to do yet." She admitted. "I don't think I've found my niche. I don't know what to specialize in yet. What about you?"

Naruto finally looked at her. "If you'd asked me a few years ago, I would've said 'to be Hokage'. But I've come to realize just how much responsibility that entails, and I don't know that I love this village enough to be able to pull it off. I've changed my goal to becoming a seal master."

"Seal master? Wow. I don't think I've ever known one. It must be difficult. Wasn't the Yondaime one?" Ino's brow wrinkled in concentration.

Naruto's faint laugh barely carried to her. "The Yondaime was a seal master, yes." Irony colored his voice. Shaking his head, he lapsed into silence.

"You know, Naruto, as much as I hated you this morning, I think Kurenai-sensei was right. We really don't know each other. Granted, I still think you're annoying. But….I guess Sasuke is a little bit, too."

Naruto faked a gasp. "Comparing me to your precious Sasuke-kun?" he phrased it as a joke, but his tone was definitely not very lighthearted.

Ino didn't seem to notice. "Shut it. We're going to the park next."

Naruto frowned slightly. "Which park?"

"The south one. Why?" Ino put her hands on her hips, ready to scold him if he complained.

Naruto grinned slightly. "That's my third place."

Ino stared at him. "You like the park? Isn't that…you know, kinda more of a girl thing?"

Naruto scowled at her. "You'll see when we get there. And not once in my life have I ever been accused of being girly, so can it. Sasuke's way more girly than I am."

Ino growled. "Fine, let's just go, loser."

Naruto couldn't hide the slightest tensing of his facial muscles, but luckily Ino wasn't a very observant person. He followed her to the park, and around to her favorite spots. When they got to the garden, she stopped. "This is it. I love coming here. The flowers are so beautiful and so well-cared for."

Naruto scowled. "Uh, whatever." He didn't see the appeal in flowers.

Ino strolled along by the flower bed for a few minutes, admiring the colors. When she looked up, Naruto had disappeared. After searching for a few minutes, she found him near the playground, surrounded by kids.

He looked up as she drew closer and rubbed the back of his head, grinning. "Ehehe. Sorry, they kinda dragged me off. This is Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi. Guys, this is my teammate, Ino."

Ino smiled. The kids looked cute. "Hi, what are you playing?"

"Ninja!" Moegi piped up, beaming at her.

Ino sent Naruto a strange look. "A ninja playing ninja with kids?" she questioned.

Naruto simply smiled. "Why not? It's fun. We teach each other some things. Kids can think of so many things I can't. But as I was saying, Konohamaru. I can't play with you right now, because I'm on a mission."

Konohamaru's eyes lit up. "A mission? What kind of mission, Boss? Can I help?"

Naruto grinned and ruffled Konohamaru's hair. "Top secret, kid." With a conspirator's wink, he added, "But if you're really good today, I'll tell you next time."

Ino smiled. Naruto was really good with kids. Perhaps because he acted like such a kid sometimes…

Konohamaru grinned brightly back at Naruto. "You got it, Boss! We'll be good!"

The Konohamaru Corps scurried off into the distance, most likely to find their parents.

Naruto smiled somewhat wistfully after them. "So now you've seen my three places. Where to next?"

Ino smiled mischievously. "My favorite store."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Oh, no. Tell me you're joking. Anything but that."

Ino shook her head, grin growing wider. "Nope. Let's go~~~" she dragged him off.

Reaching the store, she also dragged him inside. "Look at this plethora of purple!" she exclaimed, looking around like she'd discovered gold.

"Umm. Yeah, it's impressive." Naruto stared around in horror. _She should've_ _saved this one for Sasuke. He'd have loved it. _

Every single thing in the store was purple. Except for Naruto, of course. **/I think my eyes died./ **Naruto lamented to the fox, who ignored him.

Ino spent nearly thirty minutes sorting through all the purple merchandise before she finally left the store, huge bag in hand. "That was so much fun!" she squealed.

Naruto looked slightly sick. "Umm. Well, we're done now. I'm leaving. Bye."

And he ran, as fast as he could.

Purple was a scary, scary thing.

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><p><strong>(AN: Ehe. I got boored. Thanks for reading, once again, please review! It makes me more inclined to write quickly. So pleeease. I'll give you a glop of purple goo. –puppy dog eyes-) **


	8. Chapter 7: A Chat With The Fox

{{There's another world inside of me  
>That you may never see<br>There're secrets in this life  
>That I can't hide<br>Somewhere in this darkness  
>There's a light that I can't find<br>Maybe it's too far away...  
>Or maybe I'm just blind...<p>

~ When I'm Gone by 3 Doors Down }}

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><p><strong>AN: HER MAJESTY ON A POGO STICK! Sheesh, you people and your pairings! Thanks for letting me know, though. Due to the abundance of pairings, I'm gonna have to have you all vote on it. So here comes the list…And a few pairings I didn't put on, because I can honestly say they wouldn't be very good as I don't know enough about the character. Soo….without further ado, here is the nefarious list….ooh, and if you have any other ones you'd like me to add, just pm me. Or you could review. –hint hint- ;) haha. Anyways. Here ya go. Please let me know, because if you all don't vote enough I'll just choose my favorites. Which **I **wouldn't mind so much, but you might get mad at me. :P **

Ino

TenTen

Karin

Temari

Anko

Koyuki (land of snow, she was the princess…)

FemHaku

Hinata

Sakura (I'll say this now, I really hate this pairing. But if it's what you want…..-sigh- )

Tayuya

Kin (sound nin)

Naru/Harem….

**So yeah. There's the list. Obviously, they'd be paired with Naruto. I suppose you can vote for like, three if you want. Because I know personally I like more than one. –laughs- It'll be a hard decision….so please vote…or pm me…or something. If some of them don't get any votes I'm taking them on the list because it's annoyingly long.**

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><p><strong>Can't reply to a few reviews, people, so I'm gonna do it here…Ooh yeah, almost forgot. –hands purple globs of goo to everyone who reviewed the last chapter- <strong>

**Izanagi:** Indeed, I based Naruto's kekkei genkai off of the Hiraishin. I was just trying to think of what the Yondaime could've had to enhance his techniques….and voila. ;) Thanks for the pairing advice, I'll definitely keep it in mind….:) Thank you so much for reviewing, I hope you keep offering suggestions!

**Anon:** Thanks for the pairings! You gave me a lot to choose from haha. ;)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

**-clears throat- Okay, shutting up now….. I don't own- Narutoooooooo!…. *Ino chases a certain blonde ninja through the halls***

**:sweat drop: Or Naruto for that matter.**

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><p>Chapter 7: A Chat With The Fox<p>

Naruto collapsed in his room. _Purple. Stay away from allllllll purple. _

After going through his house and throwing anything with the color purple on it out the window, Naruto collapsed on his bed. He winced a wayward bed spring stabbed his back. "Ouuuch…" he moaned, rolling over. Stupid crap mattress. Standing up he walked over to the sink and turned it on, getting ready to make his precious ramen. He sprang back with a yell as the water spurted out ice-cold. Muttering a few choice curse words under his breath, he quickly grabbed a towel and dried his hands. "I HATE YOU, STUPID LANDLADY!" he yelled, loudly. But not so loudly that she could actually _hear._ He didn't want to get kicked out, after all. It could be a lot worse than this.

Resigning himself to a future of very cold showers, he added some very cold water into a saucepan and put it on the stove. It would take AGES to boil…and he was starving.

Abruptly he shivered, and stared at the goose bumps on his arm. Great, the heater, too? Did she _want_ him to die? Oh…wait. Never mind. Stupid question. Who didn't? Well, besides Iruka-sensei. And maybe the Sandaime. But he was too busy to notice most of everything. And he _supposed_ Kurenai was trying her best…ah, screw it. This was depressing.

Grabbing a blanket from the closest, he wrapped it around him and huddled in a chair. Kami, it was freezing in here, and it was only fall. He'd have to buy more blankets…drat. More money taken away from his book fund. Oh, yeah. You heard right. Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto had a book fund. He _did _say he was going to be a seal master, after all. It's not like there were any seal masters running around Konoha to teach him, after all. It's not like he could just run to a bathhouse, find a pervert, and be taught the secrets of life. Therefore, books were his only resource. But they were freakin' expensive; it took him months to have enough to get one. There was ridiculously high priced rent to pay for, after all. Oh, and ramen. Loooots of ramen.

Ooh, ramen. How he loved ramen…and wanted to devour it. Curse the landlady for depriving him of his ramen…even if it was only a few minutes. Curse her to the grave.

Naruto ran over the past few day's events in his head, trying to think of anything he needed to do. "Ohh. Right, the fox." Making a quick series of hand seals, Naruto bit his thumb and place his hands on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

The little fox blinked up at him. "Naruto-sama." It's voice was calm and soothing.

"Hey, Felix! Kyuu told me to summon you. Um, it's almost the 10th again."

Felix nodded once. "I understand. I will keep watch. I also recognize that if something were to happen, I should not be seen."

Naruto gave a relieved smile. "Thanks, Felix. I knew I could count on you."

The little fox gave a quick nod of its head and disappeared, presumably to keep an eye on his house.

"Now while I'm thinking about it…" Naruto reached into a box and pulled out a scroll and a brush, making a containment seal. "I should seal my clothes away." The seals were completely fireproof and practically invulnerable, something he'd had to learn through hardship over the years. Nothing he owned had survived for more than a year, after all. Unless he'd sealed it properly, that is.

Sealing away his spare clothes (the nicer ones anyways, it'd be suspicious if he sealed them all away), he turned his attention to the ramen. Seals, even simpler ones like these, took time to make, so the water was boiling perfectly now. Adding it into his ramen, he waited a minute or two before grabbing some chopsticks and digging in.

After he was done, he discarded the cup and stood. /**Mm. Hey, Kyuu. What else do I need to do?/**

The nine-tailed demon fox made a disgusted noise. **/You humans can be so idiotic sometimes. Did it ever occur to you to fix your teamwork so that you can leave the village for a mission on the 10****th****?/ **

Naruto scowled. **/No. But this is SASUKE we're talking about here. Even if I did my best, it would still take time before we're a good enough team that Kurenai will assign us missions that aren't D-rank./ **

The fox snickered. **/What happened to never giving up being your "nindo"?/ **

**/Stop mocking me, fox. That was how many years ago? Just tell me what I should do./ **Naruto was getting more and more irritated as the conversation went on.

**/I suppose it **_**would**_** be to my benefit that you do not die two days from now. Very well, kit. I've thought of something. I'm the only one who knows of this technique. It will be amusing to see the humans scrambling to comprehend it. They never will, of course. It's a long lost art./ **The fox bragged.

Naruto smirked slightly. **/If this is anything like your other demon techniques, bring it on, fur ball. It's just what I need./ **

The fox grinned malevolently. **/Very well. This is called Corde Secundus. Since you are a puny human, I will explain. Corde Secundus means Second Heart./ **

Naruto's brow wrinkled in confusion. **/Second Heart? You're showing me something called the Second Heart? Seems weird for a demon to talk about hearts./**

The fox nearly exploded. **/Not that kind of heart, you dolt! I'm talking about the organ. This technique gives you a second heart. Do you know what that means? For you to die, they have to stab two hearts simultaneously, because I'll heal one if they stab it. Well, that or just cut off your head or slit your throat. But most ninja aim for the heart. It'll make it much harder to kill you. The second heart is outside your body, understand?/ **

Realization slowly dawned on Naruto. **/Man, Kurou. That is wicked cool. I'll be like…almost invulnerable. So basically with this second heart technique, I hide the second heart and there's less chance of me dying?/ **

**/You got it, kit. Ready to use the technique? You're lucky I'm feeling cooperative today….you can only do it with demonic chakra. And my chakra is the most potent of all./ **The Kyuubi seemed more puffed up than normal today.

**/Go for it, Kurou./ **Naruto tensed in anticipation. Demonic techniques were always super painful…

Sure enough, the agonizing jolt came a moment later. Naruto could vaguely feel the Kyuubi channeling chakra through his body. **/What do I do?/**

**/Gather all the chakra I'm sending you, and gather it into a giant blob. Then we use more chakra to compress it./ **

**/That sounds weirdly gross./ **Naruto complained as he did as the fox told him. **/I'm compressing. Now what?/**

**/You have a highly compressed and volatile ball of demonic chakra, that's what. Now let me finish my work and stop bugging me./ **The Kyuubi seemed more cross than normal, too. What was up with the demon?

**/Fiiine./ **Naruto watched in fascination as the technique took place before his eyes. When the Kyuubi was finished, he mumbled, "It doesn't look like a heart."

**/Do you **_**want**_** your enemies to find a heart in your room and stab it, kit? Because if so, I can make it look like a real heart./**

**/No! That's okay, fur ball. Thanks for the help. I'll go seal this up now./ **Naruto gleefully began to do just that. **/Woo! I'm the only human with two hearts! Beat that, Sasuke!/ **

**/…..You do realize I'm not Sasuke./ **Kyuubi glared.

**/Ahahah! Sorry, I forgot to stop directing thoughts towards you. I'll be quiet now./ **Naruto did just that. Storing the scroll with the rest of his scrolls, he plopped down on the chair again. "Better go train some more…." He mumbled to himself.

Running out to the training grounds, (careful to lock the door behind him) Naruto did some more work on the Rasengan. The Kyuubi wasn't a very helpful technique teacher, so he was still on the third stage. Rotation was easy enough, power was super easy, but combining the two? It took a level of control Naruto didn't have yet. So he'd have to keep practicing until he reached that level. He was so intent on his training he didn't notice the presence coming up behind him.

"Hey, kid. Where did you learn that technique?"

Naruto jumped about a foot into the air and whirled around. "Don't scare me like that, man!" The person he was talking to had busy white hair, platform sandals, and a red and olive green outfit.

The man smirked. "Fine, gaki, but you didn't answer my question."

Naruto blinked. "Iruka-sensei said I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." He lied.

"I am the magnificent Sage of Toad Mountain!" at Naruto's blank look, he tried, "The Great Jiraiya of the Sannin!"

"Never heard of him." Naruto said, just to annoy the man. Of course he knew the name. This man was the one who was supposed to be his Godfather.

"Gaah! This gaki is annoying me! Well, anyways. I'm not a stranger anymore. I've introduced myself. So you can talk to me now and answer my question." Jiraiya tapped his chin in a falsely thoughtful manner.

Naruto's mind went blank. There was no logical explanation. He'd have to tell the truth. "The fox showed me."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot to his hairline. _Oooh, crap. Minato's kid? _"I was under the impression you didn't know about the fox."

"Yeah, well, I'm not stupid. Which is why I really have nothing to say to you. You can go away now." Naruto turned away, disgusted.

Jiraiya stared at the kid's back. What was that supposed to mean? Did he know…oh, double crap.

"How long are you going to stand there staring at me? I said get lost." The gaki didn't even turn around to address him.

"So you know about Minato." It was not a question. Jiraiya sighed. This would complicate things…he hated feeling guilty.

Naruto's anger finally overflowed. "Yeah I know! I know about everything, Godfather_!" _

Jiraiya pressed his lips together. "Look, kid. I've been hunting down a rogue Konoha nin for years."

Naruto laughed. "I don't even care. You're nothing to me. I'm just surprised that you of all people wouldn't honor something you promised your student, especially after he died protecting you and Konoha. Actually, you know what, I'm not even surprised. I'm just disappointed. When I saw that I had a Godfather, I had just hoped he wasn't like everyone else. Apparently I was wrong to hope." The blonde abruptly wheeled and stalked away, without as much as another glance.

Each word had stabbed as deep as a knife. Jiraiya sighed ruefully and looked after the kid. Minato would be disappointed in him…..and rightfully so. He'd better start making amends if he didn't want Kushina to kill him when he finally reached a peaceful afterlife…Yikes.

Naruto slammed the door to his apartment and fell back on his bed, carefully avoiding the spring that stuck out. His breaths were short and angry.

He stared at the ceiling, body shaking with rage. It was some time before he calmed down. Rising, he went to his closet and pulled on a few more layers of clothing. It was too cold in here; but it wasn't as if he could do anything but suffer through it. The Hokage was never around anymore, after all. And Iruka…..he'd done enough. Naruto didn't want to make trouble for him any further. Something like this could land Iruka a mild beating, and Naruto didn't want to be the cause of that.

A soft sound shook him from his thoughts. "Naruto-sama." Naruto turned his attention to Fenix. "Hey, you find something?" Naruto questioned.

The fox leaped onto his bed and dropped a scroll into his hands. "This was outside. I'm going to go patrol again, Naruto-sama."

"Thanks, Fenix." Naruto unrolled the scroll and instantly paled. It was, of course a threatening letter.

_We hear you're a Genin now. You better drop out now, or your teammates will suffer. A monster like you shouldn't be a shinobi. Drop out, or they will die._

A growl sounded in Naruto's throat and he threw the scroll to the floor. They dared to threaten his teammates? His hands balled into fists as he stared at the letter like it was a venomous snake. No, he had to calm down. If he tore out their throats, it would only prove their point. But there was no way he was letting his teammates get hurt because of him.

After all, Dog, the ANBU, had told him that whoever abandoned their friends was worse than trash. And he was many things, but definitely not trash.

But dropping out of his Genin team was out of the question. There was no way he would give up on being a ninja, or a seals master. So how was he going to get out of this one?

He'd think about this tomorrow, when his head was clearer. Padding once more over to the closet, he pulled out a huge pile of blankets and went to sleep.

**A/N: Whoo! Thanks to all the reviews, I was super motivated! I came out with a super chapter just for you reviewers! Soo, I guess I should give out glops of purple goo more often, hmm? Just kiddin, just kiddin. But seriously. Please read and review! And let me know which pairing you vote for, please! It's a great help. **


	9. Chapter 8: Naruto and Sasuke

{{How long should I wait for words to come  
>I may have done us in for good<br>Which vow will I break before I'm done  
>God, I may have done us in for good<br>I may have done us in for good  
>Honestly, I have made a few mistakes<br>but I'm coming clean  
>I'm coming clean<p>

~ An Honest Heart by Sent by Ravens}}

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><p><strong>AN: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The holiday special! Since I'm in airports again (haha) I'm already about halfway done with the next chapter. Here's your new chapter! Thanks for everyone still voting for pairings! If you voted once, please don't vote again, because I'm easily confused and you wouldn't want to confuse a blueberry muffin like me. **

**Oh, one more thing. A bunch of people are asking why my story is under Naruko. I suppose in reality I should've put it under Naruto, as he will always be the main character. However, rest assured. Naruko is coming. Ehm. I'm not giving away my secrets, so don't ask. *cough* Anything you want to know will be answered…cryptically. xD Thank you all for reading, I hope you like the next two chapters. There's finally some action coming up. Please review! It can be your return present for my chapter.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Naruto and Sasuke<strong>

Naruto abruptly sat up, chest heaving with his heavy breathing. That dream again….it was getting old. Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and grabbed a piece of bread for breakfast. The more he woke up, the more the previous day came rushing back.

_The villagers…threatened my team._ Naruto recalled. Slumping over in a chair, he sighed. He didn't know which group had left the scroll on his doorstep, but it was a logical guess that they were shinobi. Simple civilians didn't have guts like that. And if they were shinobi, they probably had the skill to back up their threats. Simple genin like Sasuke and Ino wouldn't stand a chance.

He reached into the closet for a coat and bundled up before heading outside. The wind was crisp and cool, but Naruto felt warm enough for the time being. As much as he hated it, it was time to make up with his Godfather. And, due to the sage's reputation, he had the perfect idea of where to look….

Sure enough, the Sennin was peeking into the bathhouse and chuckling creepily. Naruto tapped him on the shoulder.

The tall man jumped nearly two feet into the air as he whirled around, hands already forming seals. Naruto raised his hands peacefully, raising an eyebrow. "Relax, old man. It's Naruto."

The white-haired man thinned his eyes at Naruto. "Minato's kid? What do you want?"

Naruto's expression grew blank, any trace of sardonic amusement wiped clean. "It's about this." Naruto tossed the scroll at the Toad Sage, frowning.

Jiraiya's expression twisted into a scowl of concentration as his eyes scanned the words on the scroll. Mien darkening, he simply asked, "What is this, gaki?"

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. "Just what it looks like. A threatening letter. The only reason I brought it to you is because I can't protect myself and my teammates, and Sandaime is busy enough already. You, on the other hand, appear to have entirely too much free time. I don't expect any favors from you, but this is a matter of Konoha Village. So if you would deal with it accordingly, that would be appreciated. I don't care if you tell anyone, just figure things out before this gets out of hand." He turned to leave before Jiraiya even had a chance to respond.

Jiraiya stood. "Hey, kid. Wait a second."

Naruto stopped, but didn't turn. "What is it?"

The Sennin twitched. _I really, really don't like this kid….he's nothing like Minato in personality. _"What do you plan to do?"

Naruto finally turned around and looked the sage in the eye. The kid's expression was angry. "What I always do. Survive and endure. I don't expect anything from anyone by now. Goodbye."

Jiraiya took three quick steps and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. "Wait, wait. Hold up. I'm trying to help here, gaki."

Naruto jerked his shoulder free. His eyes were like chips of ice. "I don't need your help." He said coldly before disappearing via body flicker.

Jiraiya sighed. _Stubborn brat….Definitely got his mom's attitude. _

Naruto released a pent-in breath. He was glad Jiraiya felt guilty enough that he wouldn't say no, otherwise he would've been in deep trouble. He knew in a few days he'd be in the hospital, anyways. It was good to know his teammates wouldn't be joining him, even if he didn't like them much. Performing a quick henge, he trotted into a shop and purchased some ramen. He was out, and there wasn't enough money this month for anything else.

His team would be meeting soon. Body flickering home, he dropped off his groceries, released the henge, and headed towards his team's meeting spot. As always, he was the last one there. He was never late, but Kurenai was very punctual, the Uchiha's pride would never allow him to be anything less than on time, and Ino would be there the moment Sasuke was because she was a stalker fan girl.

Kurenai smiled at him. Ino gave him a tiny nod. Sasuke glared.

Hmph. Uchiha's. "Hey." Naruto greeted his team, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Hello, Naruto." Kurenai greeted the boy. Ino didn't say anything but she didn't yell at him, either. Naruto took it as a sign of progress. "So what's going down today?"

Kurenai smirked slightly. "Today is you and Sasuke's turn. Ino and I will have a little chat. Have fun, you two."

Naruto gulped slightly. This day…..would not be fun. Turning to the raven, Naruto scowled. "Where are we going?"

Sasuke glared back. "The Uchiha compound," he said haughtily.

Naruto wordlessly turned and began walking in the direction of the prestigious clan complex.

Sasuke followed. "Dobe."

"Is that a question, Sasuke? Because I'm not going to answer until you ask it properly." Naruto rolled his eyes, not turning to face the Uchiha.

"Why didn't you talk about your birthday?" Sasuke blurted.

Naruto stopped mid-step. "How many days have you been stewing over that one, Sasu?"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's shoulder roughly and spun him around. "Answer the question, dobe. And don't call me that."

Meeting Sasuke's eyes, Naruto laughed darkly. "Fine, Uchiha. My birthday is the worst day of my life for me. I have no reason to talk about it."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He said nothing else, but he seemed skeptical. He didn't think birthdays were worth celebrating…but they weren't the worst day in the year for him, either. Something was strange about this, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it…."Dobe. What day is your birthday?"

Naruto looked like he wanted to strangle the Uchiha heir. "October 10th. Now drop it, teme."

Sasuke's mind immediately connected that date to the Kyuubi Festival. It made no sense, whatsoever. Why would Naruto regret being born on a holiday?

Naruto didn't feel the need to enlighten him, though he could almost hear the cogs turning in the raven's head. "We're here." He interrupted.

Sasuke couldn't stop the brief look of surprise from flitting across his face. He hadn't noticed. He quickly composed himself. "I suppose I'll have to let you inside."

Naruto sneered slightly. "Yeah, I suppose you will." The two boys headed inside. Hostility flavored the air.

Sasuke led him around for a while, a silent tour guide. When they reached the library, Naruto stared around in awe. _What I could do with all these jutsu…_

Sasuke's interpreted his expression. "What, you've never been in a library?"

Naruto's stance grew defensive. "Only once. They kicked me out after that. But since when did you care?"

The Uchiha's brows knitted inwards. "Dobe." His expression twisted somewhat. He knew he'd regret this…. "You're welcome to…borrow them. But if you ever damage one, I won't let you do it again."

Naruto's eyes were filled with such unmasked incredulity that Sasuke was taken aback. "You serious, Uchiha?" there was a hint of longing in his voice that Sasuke was extremely uncomfortable noticing.

"As I said." Sasuke said stiffly in reply.

A grin spread slowly across Naruto's face, like the sun coming out. "Thanks, teme!" he got out before walking quickly to the nearest bookcase and rifling through the scrolls carefully. He picked up the first one that caught his eye. It appeared to be a high-level tracking technique. "Can I borrow this one?" he turned to Sasuke with a childlike enthusiasm. Abruptly he remembered who he was with and hid his expression. It was a bit too late, though.

_I don't think I've ever seen him look so happy, _Sasuke mused to himself. "Yeah. Dobe." He said, feigning boredom. Inwardly though, his interest was sparked. Who knew Naruto had this side to him?

Naruto grinned again. "Thanks, Sasuke!" He pocketed the scroll. "I'll bring it back when I've learned the technique. Are all these scrolls ninjutsu?"

Sasuke blinked. "Many are books on jutsu theory. Some are specialized books, such as medical or sealing jutsu. But many are ninjutsu, yes."

"That is so cool!" Naruto crowed. "Thanks again. Maybe you're not so bad after all."

Sasuke's mouth formed a small 'o' for a split second before he collected himself. "Hn."

"Are we done here?" Naruto cocked his head to the side, anxious to get moving.

Sasuke sighed. "Yes."

"All right! My first place is the training grounds." Naruto had a mischievous gleam in his eyes that made Sasuke nervous.

"Dobe?" Was that an apprehensive note in the Uchiha prodigy's voice.

"Hehehe….." with that evil chuckle, Naruto began headed towards a certain "training ground" we like to call The Forest of Death.

"Here we are!" Naruto laughed.

Sasuke stared. "Dobe….this is a restricted area."

Naruto put his hands on his hips and turned to face Sasuke with an indignant expression. "Oh, come on, teme. Don't tell me you're afraid of a little rule breaking. Or…have you never done it?"

Sasuke struggled to keep a neutral expression. "This is dumb. I'm leaving."

Naruto just grinned at him. "Fine. I guess you just aren't a good enough ninja to survive in here, then. Sucks to be you!"

The last Uchiha whirled around. He could tell he was being bated, but no one insulted his skill as a shinobi…. ''Fine. Let's go."

Naruto gave him a victory sign and started climbing the gate. "Yes!"

Why was Uzumaki being so childish all of a sudden? "Why here?"

Naruto turned to look at him. His expression returned to his normal seriousness. "It's a good place to train with no one around to spy on me."

Sasuke shrugged. It made sense to him. They wandered around the forest for a while, encountering a few rabid animals that tried to eat them….but other than that, things were perfectly normal. Sasuke looked a little worse for the wear by the time they finished wandering around.

"Woo! I haven't been there in a while. Where to next, teme?" Naruto and Sasuke climbed the gate and left the training area.

"The lake." Sasuke mumbled.

"Ah, with the dock? Okay, then." He led the way.

Sasuke followed him sullenly. "Yes."

Naruto gave him a small smile. "I used to see you sitting there all the time." He admitted. "We were both loners, weren't we? Although, I guess we still are."

Sasuke grunted. "Dobe." As if feeling a little guilty for not sharing Naruto's sentiments, he added, "You're right."

They'd reached the lake. Naruto plopped down on the dock, pulled off his ninja sandals, and dangled his feet into the water. Sasuke sat a few feet away, staring into the water.

"Neh, Sasuke. Do you sometimes wish you'd have been born in a normal family?"

Sasuke spared him a glance. "Sometimes," he allowed.

Naruto laughed softly. "Teme. I thought about it a lot. What it would be like to have a family….I can't quite imagine it. If I would've had parents, I wouldn't be anything like I am now. It's strange to consider. My world is totally different from almost everyone." His lips quirked up slightly. "You're one of the few who can understand what I'm talking about, but on so many levels, you don't. You'll never understand not having anyone who cares about you more than anything else. And, unlike you, I'll never understand losing the ones who did care about me." Voice strangely melancholy, Naruto finished, "We're so similar, yet so different. It's odd."

Sasuke couldn't hold back his bewildered stare. This was coming from Naruto? The dobe?

Said "dobe" chuckled. "The look on your face is priceless, Sasuke."

The Uchiha struggled to compose his features.

Naruto just smiled. "Even when you do that, I can tell what you're feeling. For a person as familiar with masks as I am, you're an amateur. I make you nervous, don't I? It's not like anyone will _care_, Sasuke. Everyone in this world looks out for themselves first. As long as you're a strong ninja and don't bother anyone else, they don't care what you do. I can guarantee it. They might have a problem with the great Uchiha being on a team with a lowlife like me. But you don't, of course. You could care less, because everyone's beneath you. It doesn't bother me. Everyone views me that way. You can do what you like. However, we're teammates, Sasuke. If you've got problems with me, I don't really care. Personally, I think we could be friends someday. But even if we don't get along, we're both professional enough to put the mission first. That's why I don't dislike you." Naruto pulled his feet from the water and turned to give Sasuke a sheepish grin. "I'm not usually the type to give monologues, but you sure aren't gonna bring up our issues. So I'm just laying it out for you." Almost as an afterthought, the blonde added, "Oh, yeah. And Ino should be leaving you alone. I'm working on it, anyways. Even if she is annoying I'd suggest you work out your problems." He put on his shoes and stood, , holding out his hand to Sasuke.

The raven hesitantly took it, and Naruto pulled him to his feet.

Naruto released his hand and turned around. "Let's go to my house now." He started walking.

Sasuke was curious. He hadn't really been invited into other people's houses before….and although he would never on pain of death admit it out loud, he didn't hate Naruto.

Naruto smirked at him. "Don't get too excited, teme."

Sasuke glared back. "Dobe." How did the blonde do it? His face was totally blank!

Naruto snickered. He rolled his sleeve up to his left shoulder, bit his right thumb, and smeared a little blood on his bicep, where a tattoo-like seal was painted. There was a puff of smoke and a key appeared into Naruto's hand.

Sasuke was interested immediately. "What kind of jutsu was that?"

Naruto cocked his head as if puzzled. "Fuuinjutsu. Sealing."

Sasuke frowned. "I've never heard of it."

Naruto grinned. "Don't sulk, Uchiha. Not many have. It's rather obscure. I want to become a master one day. There is only one in Konoha: Jiraiya of the Sannin." His face soured slightly. "I'm definitely gonna surpass that old man."

Sasuke gave him a rare smile. "Sounds cool."

Naruto grew more animated as he spoke. "It's kinda dry to study, but the results are worth it. Ah, we're here." Naruto shielded his eyes and stared up at an apartment complex. "Kinda a hole-in-the-wall. But it's my own place, so I don't mind. I'm on the second floor." They trekked up a floor of stairs and down the hall to Naruto's room. "Here we are." Naruto unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Sasuke was taken aback at how impersonal Naruto's apartment was. Nothing remotely individual was lying around. No clothes on the floor, no photographs on the wall or the shelves, no keepsakes. Just furniture.

Naruto noticed his scrutiny. "Dreary, isn't it? But I don't plan to stay here long. In a year or two, I'm going to claim my father's house."

Sasuke wasn't the type to ask personal questions, so he refrained. That didn't mean he wasn't dying to know. The way Naruto spoke, his father was either a great hero or a great rebel. Either would be intriguing. He watched as Naruto took the scroll he'd borrowed and sealed it into another scroll. At Sasuke's quizzical look, he said simply, "It's fireproof."

"Expecting a fire anytime soon, dobe?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Naruto didn't laugh. "It's happened before."

Sasuke deflated slightly. "Oh."

"Hmph. Teme. Since I'm a good host, do you want anything to drink?"

Oops. Oh well, it was just Naruto. "Got any tomato juice?" Sasuke tried to keep the eagerness out of his voice.

Naruto blinked. "As absurd as that request is, I actually do. Hang on a sec." He disappeared into the kitchen. Sasuke perched on the sofa to wait.

Naruto opened a can of tomato juice and poured it into a glass. Grabbing a strawberry soda for himself, he returned and handed Sasuke his glass of juice. "Here ya go."

Sasuke sipped the juice. _Tomatoes are so delicious…._He thought dreamily.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're welcome, teme."

Sasuke grinned in reply. Perhaps Naruto wasn't so bad after all. He did have tomato juice, for example.

Naruto dropped on the couch beside Sasuke. "As annoyed as I was about this, today hasn't gone too badly. We should train together sometime."

Sasuke simply shrugged, feigning indifference. "I suppose it wasn't horrible," he said grudgingly.

Naruto took one last swallow of his soda and tossed the empty can perfectly into the trashcan. "Score!" he cheered for himself.

Sasuke watched him with narrowed eyes. "Dobe. Isn't strawberry soda a girl's drink?"

Naruto thinned his eyes at Sasuke. "Drinks have nothing whatsoever to do with gender, teme. And your choice is way weirder than mine, so back off."

Sasuke chuckled slightly. "Whatever, dobe. You just like girly soda." He finished his tomato juice and handed Naruto the empty glass. "We're going to the market next."

He thought he saw Naruto's face darken for a moment, but it could've been the light.

"Sure thing." Naruto disappeared into the kitchen to put the glass away. Inwardly he was panicking. The market? Worst possible place, worst possible timing. Tomorrow was October 10th…his birthday, and the Kyuubi Festival. Of all times to get the village mad at him…tomorrow he'd be in the hospital for sure. His face was completely blank as he returned to where Sasuke waited by the door. "Off we go," he said lightly.

Sasuke was disturbed by the cheerful-yet-somber vibe Naruto was giving off. He was unsure what had taken place. "Yes." They left the room and Naruto locked the door behind them, resealing the key when he had finished.

"Why do you have a seal for your key?" Sasuke said after they got down the stairs.

_So they don't steal it and trash my apartment….again. _"I lost it a lot…this solved the problem." Naruto rubbed his head shamefacedly.

Sasuke smirked. "Dobe."

Naruto laughed. It sounded hollow to his own ears. "Lead the way, Uchiha. Show the poor commoner how it's done." He did his best to ignore the uncomfortable stares as he followed Sasuke around. The Uchiha was, blessedly, to engrossed in making his rounds to notice the whispers and glares.

Sasuke bought about seven tomatoes by the time they finished. "You're quiet, dobe." He said bluntly.

Naruto sweat-dropped. Did the kid have no tact? "Huh. Guess I'm tired from early morning training."

Sasuke eyed him suspiciously, but let it drop. "Where is your last place?"

"I guess the Academy. But we've both been there hundreds of times so let's call it a day. I'm sure Kurenai-sensei won't mind, since we worked out our issues and that was the point of this whole day." Naruto waved. "See you in a few days. Have fun with your tomatoes, Sasu."

"Oi! Naruto! A few days? We have a team meeting tomorrow!" Sasuke growled as Naruto gave him a backwards wave and completely disregarded everything he'd just said. "Stupid dobe…"

Naruto speed-walked back to his apartment. He quickly unsealed his key, unlocked the door, stepped inside, relocked the door, and resealed his key all in the span of about ten seconds. Tomorrow….it would be a hard day.

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><p><strong>AN: **Naruto and Sasuke are finally getting to be less annoyed with each other! I tried to ease into it but I might have rushed it a bit, sowwy. You'll see why in the next chapter. Until then! ;)


	10. Chapter 9: The Kyuubi Festival

{I'm staring out into the night, trying to hide the pain  
>I'm going to the place where love<br>And feeling good don't ever cost a thing  
>And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain<br>Well, I'm going home, back to the place where I belong  
>And where your love has always been enough for me<br>I'm not running from, no, I think you got me all wrong  
>I don't regret this life I chose for me<br>But these places and these faces are getting old  
>So I'm going home, well I'm going home<p>

~Home by Daughtry}

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><p><strong>AN: Here's the second chapter! I really didn't plan on doing this certain twist...it just kinda happened. Let me know what you think of my latest development. ;) I haven't decided yet if it's actually permanent or not. Man, Naruto's first C-rank keeps getting pushed back, doesn't it? X) Oh, one more thing. Just for future reference...**

**{ } Naruto is writing  
><strong>

**/ / Naruto and Kyuubi are talking**

**[ ] Sign language  
><strong>

**Italics are thoughts**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: The Kyuubi Festival<strong>

Naruto slept as long as he possibly could before rising the next morning. Stumbling to his closet, he pulled on his old orange jumpsuit. No point in ruining his new clothes. If only he was allowed to leave the village one day every year…..but he didn't want to break any village rules, so he stayed put. But honestly, you would think at least someone would notice he was put in the hospital every Kyuubi Festival. There was no way it was coincidence; however, no one cared enough to point it out. Naruto himself would face a whole army of hostile villagers: civilians and shinobi alike. There was no way he was going to personally publicize this thing. It would only become worse if he said something, and escalation was what he had to avoid the most. If things escalated anymore, he could wind up dead.

Sometimes he cursed the Sandaime Hokage. The old man called him in every October 10th to give him a present, but he wasn't even aware of how much trouble that caused Naruto. Sighing, Naruto left his apartment and headed to the Hokage Tower.

The Sandaime waved him in. "Naruto! Happy birthday, my boy." He signaled the ANBU to exit the room. When they were gone, the old man continued, "Kurenai told me you wanted access to your father's scrolls, but she didn't know who your father was. Do you know, Naruto?"

The blonde simply nodded in reply, holding back a sharp retort.

The Hokage smiled slightly, and blew out a puff of smoke from his pipe. "Ahh. So you know. That is good. For your birthday present, I'm giving you the key to his estate. I don't think you should live there quite yet, but everything there is yours now. Please don't do anything dangerous without Kurenai's approval. When you become a jounin you will speak further about you residing in the Namikaze estate. Now, go enjoy yourself. Your teammates will all want to wish you a happy birthday, as well."

Naruto bowed slightly. "Thanks, jii-san." He left the office. Yeah, right. Sasuke's the only one who knows. Like he's gonna go out of his way to do something for me, of all people, Naruto snorted to himself.

He avoided where his team was meeting and walked the opposite way. Bad choice. A group of people were waiting for him. Naruto recognized almost all of them…they'd attacked him before. He instinctively dropped into a defensive stance. Perhaps since he'd been training with Gai-sensei he wouldn't be hurt so badly this time. He quickly sealed away the Namikaze manor key; it was the only priceless thing he owned, and to lose it would be devastating.

One nin, a chuunin by the looks of his vest, spoke up first. "Kyuubi brat thinks that he's hot stuff, doesn't he? Prancing around with the Uchiha, visiting the Hokage, and even hanging off of poor Inoichi's girl…getting a little too big for his boots, isn't he?" he stepped closer, eyeing Naruto like a predator eyes its prey.

Naruto licked his suddenly dry lips. "I'm not the Kyuubi," he protested weakly.

The chuunin glared at him. "We all know what you are, demon. You can't fool us like you've fooled the Hokage." A few began circling around him. They surrounded him, cutting off all escape routes.

Naruto closed his eyes in resignation. He hated his birthday….the first stinging blow fell on his right cheekbone. Black eye….check. He opened his eyes and dodged the next jab, aimed at his stomach. Someone hit him from behind and he fell forwards onto his hands and knees. A foot ground his face into the dirt. "Let's go, boys." Naruto faintly heard one yell. Realizing the danger he was in, Naruto frantically gathered chakra in his hands and pushed up, grabbing the foot pushing him down and twisting as hard as he could. The man howled. "You..you scrap! You broke my foot!"

Naruto inched backwards, terrified by the look of murderous rage in the man's eyes. His arms were suddenly seized and wrenched behind him. One cracked and Naruto stifled a yell, biting his lip so hard it bled.

"Don't worry, Mizuki. We'll teach this demon scum a lesson." The blows came all at once, from every direction.

A blood-red haze of pain surrounded him as they beat him to a pulp. Blood dripped from his head, his nose, his mouth…everywhere. When they released his arms, he fell to the ground, limp.

But Mizuki wasn't satisfied. Naruto wondered through his delirium where he'd heard that name before…Mizuki, he presumed, lifted him up by the front of his shirt. Blearily, Naruto looked up at him and wished he hadn't. Mizuki's eyes were filled with a berserker's rage.

Naruto scrambled to produce chakra, because he was certain at that moment that Mizuki would kill him. Mizuki felt the chakra start to collect and just laughed. "Yoru! Drain his chakra!"

Just like that, Naruto felt all his chakra pulled away./**Kyuubi! I need your chakra! Now!/**

Mizuki yelped and dropped Naruto as the demonic chakra burned his arm. "He's using his demonic powers!" he screeched.

**/Don't heal me just yet, Kyuu. I'll need all your chakra…to blow these guys off the face of this earth!/ **

Naruto crouched on all fours, the red chakra surrounding him. He let loose a feral roar. Three tails billowed out behind him, thrashing wildly. **"I'm sick of you. I never hurt you….but I'm not going to keep taking your crap. You should all just…..DIE!" **Naruto's voice was low and gravelly. He was about to charge and rip them to pieces when he was surrounded by wooden bars.

An ANBU held his hands together, forming a seal. "Uzumaki Naruto! Cease attack!"

Naruto wilted, realizing what he'd been about to do. "I understand," he whispered, voice hoarse. The wood withdrew into the ground. Naruto staggered to his feet and began walking towards the ANBU.

He realized something was wrong when he heard heaving breathing behind him. He whirled around to see...

Blood splattered across his face, and he found himself unable to breathe. Eyes wide with shock, he reached his fingers up to his throat. They came away coated in blood. His jaw moved, and no sound came out. As his legs gave out, he hacked out blood…and fell to the ground. His eyes fluttered, and he stared into nothing.

The ANBU stared in disbelief. Mizuki…a sensei from the Academy, had just slit his student's throat. He stared at the blood pooling around Naruto's prone body, frozen. When Naruto coughed, he snapped out of his daze. "I need a medic team south of the Hokage Tower. Subject is in critical condition and needs emergency care stat." He spoke into his radio. He quickly (and somewhat viciously) knocked out all the ninja and citizens present. They would be detained for questioning. Only then did he go to Uzumaki. The pulse was faint and erratic. He applied what little first aid he knew as he waited. He was forced to stop when he felt an approaching prescence. Looking up he spotted the Uchiha.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in morbid fascination. "Is that….Naruto? What happened?" He felt like he'd seen the Uchiha massacre all over again. The blood…it brought it all back.

The ANBU finally answered, "That group over there attacked him. His throat was cut. He's alive…for now."

Sasuke couldn't tear his eyes away from Naruto. He'd said he hated his birthday…was this why? What was going on here? Naruto…had expected this. Did that mean it had happened before? The very thought made Sasuke feel sick. "What can I do to help?" Sasuke croaked.

The ABNU turned towards Sasuke. "Help is on the way, kid. You can do one thing, though. Find Jiraiya of the Sannin. He has long white hair, you'll know him when you see him. He should be at the bathhouse."

Sasuke jumped up and sprinted for the bathhouse. He'd never run so hard in his life. In practically 3 minutes flat, he found Jiraiya. "South…of Hokage…Tower. Naruto….." Sasuke got out between pants.

Jiraiya frowned with mock severity. "What nonsense are you spouting, Uchiha?"

Sasuke caught his breath. "The ANBU sent me. Someone slit Naruto's throat."

All joviality disappeared. "Take me there, now." Jiraiya followed Sasuke to where Naruto lay in his own blood. "Oh, not good, not good." Jiraiya paced. "He's going to die if we don't do something right now." Tsunade's not here….no medics except her can fix this…." Abruptly he stopped moving. "Tenzou! Body flicker to the Hokage's office, grab the slug summoning scroll, and come right back. It's our only option right now."

The ANBU disappeared and reappeared a few moments later with a large scroll. "Here it is, Jiraiya-sama."

Jiraiya took the scroll. "Listen up, Uchiha. We've only got one chance, so don't screw it up." He had Sasuke sign the contract and explained how to perform the jutsu. "Pour all your chakra in. When a slug appears, tell it to reverse summon Tsunade here as soon as they possibly can."

Sasuke nodded dutifully, gathering his chakra. It built and he released it all in one big burst. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Summoning Technique)

A slug about the size of his arm appeared in a cloud of smoke. Sasuke quickly and concisely relayed Jiraiya's instructions. The slug disappeared to follow his command. Sasuke slumped to the ground, exhausted. Almost unconsciously he scooted closer to Naruto. The blonde latched onto his arm like a lifeline. Sasuke smiled slightly. "Dobe." He whispered, even though he knew Naruto was beyond hearing.

Tsunade suddenly appeared behind him. "Jiraiya. What's wrong?"

Jiraiya faced her, determined. "It's Minato's brat. Can you help him?"

Tsunade didn't bother to answer; instead, she kneeled beside Sasuke. "He's still alive?" she sounded surprised.

Sasuke glared at her. "Are you going to help him or not?" he snapped.

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Uchiha. Get out of my way." Tsunade snapped back.

Sasuke attempted to do as she said, but Naruto's death grip prevented him. "He won't let go." The Uchiha said helplessly.

Tsunade ignored him and began pumping healing chakra into Naruto's chakra system. "He's already healing himself….." she mumbled, surprised.

Sasuke looked on nervously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tsunade shushed him. Slowly the slash on Naruto's throat began to close. The bruises all over his body faded. Finally, the slug princess slumped back. "That's the best I can do," she mumbled, sounding sorrowful.

Sasuke's eyebrows knitted downwards. "Is he out of danger?" he asked, confused.

Tsunade sighed. "Yes. He won't die. But I was unable to repair his vocal chords. He won't be able to speak anymore."

Sasuke stared at her with horror. Not being able to speak? It wasn't entirely necessary for a ninja…..but for Naruto, speaking was his only way of connecting with people. To take that away, he had no family, no place to belong, and now, no speech? It seemed unusually cruel.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sasuke said simply, "Thank you, Tsunade-hime."

Jiraiya looked on silently. He'd failed Minato again, and he didn't know if he could recover from this in a long time. To make up for his failure, he would have to watch over Naruto forever.

Tsunade lifted Naruto in her arms. "I'm taking him to the hospital. Jiraiya, you and Tenzou report to the Hokage. Uchiha….come with me." Naruto was still clamped on Sasuke's arm, so it wasn't like he had much choice in the matter.

Everyone followed Tsunade's orders…..she is much too scary to disobey. When they reached the hospital, Tsunade lowered Naruto onto a bed. He sat up, awake, almost instantly. He released Sasuke and tried to speak. All that came out was a ragged cough.

Tsunade pushed him back down. "Hold it, brat! You shouldn't be talking. Your vocal chords are damaged." She rummaged around and found him a pen and paper.

{Why is Sasuke here?} Tsunade read out loud, and chuckled.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "Dobe."

Naruto gleefully wrote back, {Teme!} and grinned at Sasuke. Sasuke grinned back.

Tsunade watched them, smirking. Just like Obito and Kakashi. It was pretty funny, actually. "Naruto, is it? I'm Tsunade. Jiraiya and Sasuke brought me here." She paused to give him a chance to respond.

{Ah! I've read about you! You should teach Ino, she has really good chakra control. Oh, um, and thanks for healing me. Are Ino and Kurenai all right?} Naruto's handwriting was barely legible.

"They're fine. Why do you ask?" Sasuke peered suspiciously at Naruto.

{Just making sure. So, um, I won't be able to talk again?}

Tsunade's eyes widened. She'd meant to bring it up gently…."No, Naruto. Your vocal chords can't be healed.

{Ah, okay. I figured as much.} Naruto's frantic scribbling paused for a moment. {Just making sure. Um, Miss Tsunade? Can you find me a lighter? I need to tell Sasuke a certain S-class secret.}

Tsunade took the hint. "Be right back."

Naruto started writing. {Um, so yeah. S-class secret. Please don't go around repeating this or you'll get executed, and that would really suck. Oh, anyways. I, uh, kinda have the Kyuubi sealed inside me. Oh, and the Yondaime Hokage was my father. I think that's all…}

Sasuke stared at Naruto, dumbfounded. "Your dad sealed the Kyuubi into you?" he blurted, connecting the dots.

Naruto's lips twisted slightly as if he was in pain. {Yes. It's not like he could do it to someone else's kid. It's logical. That doesn't mean I like it. We'll have words about it someday.}

Sasuke laughed. _Naruto will be Naruto…_"Dobe. Why did they try to kill you?"

Naruto scowled. His pen dug into the paper a little more than necessary. {Most of the village has this harebrained notion that I'm the Kyuubi incarnate. It's always been that way. But Mizuki just totally went berserk.}

"Mizuki was the one who tried to kill you?" Sasuke's eyes flashed red.

{Sasu. Your Sharingan just activated. Calm down. This is normal for me, so calm down.} Naruto attempted to soothe the raven.

"Don't call me that." Sasuke muttered sullenly. He was intrigued that his Sharingan had activated, though. He'd have to experiment more later.

{It's quicker to write. Deal with it, teme. And don't do anything stupid. This is my problem, and I will take care of it. Stop mother-henning.} Naruto laughed silently at his own wit.

Sasuke slammed his palms down on the table beside Naruto's bed. "Don't accuse _me_ of mother henning."

{It's okay, Sasu. I know I worried you, and I'm sorry.} Naruto seemed mischievous, but he wasn't lying.

Sasuke blinked. "Don't let it happen again, Naruto. I mean it. If you'd been out much longer. I'd have had to amputate my arm."

{Um. Why?} Naruto blinked.

Sasuke smiled. Payback time. "When I got there, you grabbed on to me and wouldn't let go. Even Tsunade couldn't pry you off." A bit of a fib, but the look on Naruto's face was totally worth it.

Crossing his arms indignantly over his chest, Naruto pouted. {Teme!} he finally wrote, adding a little sketch of Sasuke with devil horns. It was surprisingly good artwork.

Sasuke grinned. Ah, revenge is fun. What, what? Where did his Uchiha emotionless state go? He abruptly tried to compose himself.

Naruto snickered soundlessly at him again. {I told you, that doesn't work on me. You might as well just do what you want, teme. Now what do ya say you break me out of here}

Sasuke growled. "No way, dobe. You were seriously hurt. You should be in here at least a week. I'm going to find Kurenai and Ino. I went to look for you and never came back, they must be wondering where I am by now."

Naruto stabbed his finger towards Sasuke. {Mother hen!} he accused.

"Whatever, dobe. Hurry up and heal, you owe me a sparring session. Oh, and learn sign language. I'm not going to read your terrible scribbling every day. I'll go blind."

{Yes, mother hen.} Naruto rolled his eyes playfully at Sasuke.

Sasuke left to find Kurenai and Ino.

Naruto fell back against his pillow and went to sleep. His last thought was, _I hate hospitals…sooo boring…_


	11. Chapter 10: Aftermath

{All your secrets crawl inside  
>You keep them safe, you let them hide<br>You feel them drinking in your pain to kill the memories  
>So close your eyes and let it hurt<br>The voice inside begins to stir  
>Are you reminded of all you used to be<p>

~Lie to Me by Red}

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><p><strong>AN: Squee! Want to know why I'm squeeing? It's because I'm so excited! Who's read the most recent Naruto chapter? Well, if you haven't, I'm gonna give you the scoop. KYUUBI FINALLY HAS A NAME! Aaaand, it just so happens that MY name for Kyuubi is so close to the one given in the manga that it could be a nickname! **

**Hehe, sorry. I just thought that was pretty neat. Anyways, I wanted to move on to the pairings stuff. Due to the sheer number of votes (lol, you people are awesome) I've decided to start eliminating some of the ones that received less votes and start narrowing it down. Now, obviously, I'm most likely to choose pairings that I like, or pairings that are easy to write. Luckily, the most popular ones are all doable for me, I believe. **

**Tell you what. I'll give you one last chapter to vote for your FAVORITE pairing. That's right, just ****one****. From there, I'll choose the most popular. Or, possibly, a few, as harem is one of the most popular choices. Just to let you know, if I do a harem, Naruto will end up with ONE girl, even if he had several interests. That's just the way I roll, and it's much easier to write. *ehem* So I guess just let me know what your absolute favorite pairing is. And if you want harem, just vote for harem. **

**One last thing: Naruto's attitude WILL gradually become more like canon Naruto as he is accepted by more people, for those who are worried. That's not to say he'll become an idiot. –laughs- I love Naruto, but in the first few episodes…..-sweat drop- Wow. Basically I just mean he'll be more his cheerful self.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: Aftermath<p>

Naruto bolted upright, hands clutching his throat. His clothing was drenched with sweat, and his breaths were ragged. _Just a dream….._ He reassured himself.

He'd been staring straight ahead, so he jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. "Naruto…."

Quickly jerking his head up, he relaxed when he met Kurenai's crimson eyes. Picking up the pen and paper by his bed, he scrawled out, {Hey, Kurenai-sensei.}

Kurenai frowned at him. Her eyes were sad. "Why didn't you tell me about this, Naruto? I asked if you needed help."

Naruto pursed his lips. {I was really happy when you asked me. But…..I was scared.} His face twisted into a grimace. {I thought if you knew how much danger I would put Sasuke and Ino in, you'd be mad and kick me off your team. I was lucky to get on the team of someone who didn't hate me in the first place, and I didn't want to ruin that.}

Kurenai's whole demeanor became stern. "You're my student as well, Naruto. Don't think that I would be so petty as to favor one student over another. I understand that you're not used to much…companionship, but you definitely have some things to learn about people. In the future, when I offer my help, it isn't just for show. If you need help, I expect you to take it. Is that understood?"

Naruto nodded, eyes hooded. {Yes, sensei.}

"Good. I am sorry for what Mizuki did to you, Naruto. You are welcome in my home anytime. I have to go for now, but I will visit again soon. Sasuke and Ino are waiting outside. I'll send them in. Oh, and Naruto?" She put her hand on his shoulder. "Those villagers who attacked you….they have no idea what they're talking about. I am truly sorry for their stupidity. They are being questioned and will be put on trial soon. The Sandaime will see to it that they won't attack you ever again." With a reassuring squeeze, she released him and left the room.

Ino and Sasuke came in. Naruto waved, giving them a small smile. Ino's face crumpled, and she scrambled for something to say but failed.

Sasuke ignored her and pulled a chair to Naruto's bedside. "Dobe." He greeted.

Naruto's face scrunched up childishly. {Teme.} He returned. His gaze slid sideways towards Ino. {Tell piggy I'm not dying, and she should stop looking at me all teary-eyed. It's creepy.}

Sasuke chuckled and turned to Ino. "The dobe says he's not dying, so don't look at him like that."

Ino sputtered like a fish out of water. Finally she marched over to Naruto and hit his head..not nearly as hard as she'd used to. "Baka! I was so worried." Her arm dropped to her side.

Naruto shot Sasuke a quizzical look. The raven shrugged in reply. He didn't presume to understand women…..

{Sorry, Ino.} Naruto held the notepad up for her to read.

Ino just rolled her eyes and pulled up a chair.

"We're both going to learn sign language! Well, I guess our whole team will learn together. I didn't think our first real team session would be to do something so depressing." Ino chewed her lip.

{I know. Sasuke-hime already declared that I learn.} Naruto rolled his eyes at her.

Ino giggled. Luckily, Sasuke hadn't seen that note. "I'm glad you're feeling okay, Naruto. I need to go back to the shop now, but I'll bring you some flowers later." She surprised even herself when she gave Naruto a hug before leaving. "Get well soon."

Naruto stared after her for a moment, a baffled look on his face. Shaking his head, he sighed. _Women._ He cocked his head and turned to Sasuke. {So what happened? Is Tsunade still here? Where did Jiraiya disappear to?}

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Tsunade is still here, checking on other patients. I don't know where Jiraiya went."

Naruto crossed his arms and nodded. {What about your Sharingan? Did you reactivate it yet?}

"I trained this morning." Sasuke said, by way of explanation.

Naruto raised a brow. {Aaaaand?}

The Uchiha scowled. "Not yet."

Naruto grinned. {Hmm. I'll help you if you sneak me out.}

Sasuke hesitated. "Fine." He gave in. "Your clothes are right there. I'll wait outside."

Naruto scooped up his clothes, changed, and met Sasuke outside. {There's something you guys aren't telling me. It's my apartment, right?}

Sasuke looked alarmed. Which, for an Uchiha, was a slight widening of the eyes. "Yeah." He admitted. "Burned to the ground. The remnants of your things are at the Hokage Tower."

{Let's collect those first, then. I don't want to walk around in bloodstained clothes.} The two snuck out of the hospital and entered the Hokage Tower.

{Hey, jii-san!} Naruto greeted the Sandaime cheerily by sticking a notepad in his face. {I came for my stuff.}

The Hokage let out a deep breath. "Naruto. Sasuke." He welcomed them. "Your scrolls are over there, Naruto."

Naruto strolled over and inspected the scrolls. {Two are missing.} his eyes sharply studied the Hokage.

The Sandaime met Naruto's eyes. He looked…haggard. "Jiraiya has the other ones. He wanted to examine the seals. He bought a house, you know." The old man smiled. While the conversation seemed like a jumble of random information, Naruto understood precisely what he meant. "I think you made him feel guilty, Naruto."

Naruto processed this, his expression blank. {I see. Well, tell him to return them as soon as possible.} He turned to leave.

"I think he hopes to talk with you, Naruto. You should give him a second chance." The smoke from the Sandaime's pipe floated upwards, as if fleeing from the tension that remark created. Naruto paused.

{As you wish.} he finally wrote in reply, face cool. He left the office. Sasuke gave the Hokage a stiff nod and followed Naruto.

"Those boys….." The Sandaime sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "What am I going to do with them?

* * *

><p>Naruto tucked the scrolls in his weapons pouch. {I know the perfect place to train. Let's go.}<p>

Sasuke shrugged. He didn't care where he trained….

{Great. It's this way.} Naruto dragged Sasuke to the Namikaze manor. A huge iron gate blocked their entry. Naruto rolled up his tattered sleeve and unsealed the key. He unlocked the gate with reverence, eyes twinkling. {Welcome to my future estate, Sasuke.}

As they stepped inside, both boys looked around with curiosity. There hadn't been a soul here in twelve years, and it was easy to tell from the state of the grounds.

{Looks like I've got a lot of work to do.} Naruto sighed.

Sasuke agreed. It had once been a beautiful place, he could tell. However, time had taken its toll. The buildings themselves needed only minor repairs. It was the yard that screamed for attention. Weeds sprouted from every surface imaginable. Trees were overgrown, and sidewalks were cracked and dirty.

{Well, here is as good a place as any. Maybe we'll kill a few weeds and save me some work.} Naruto grinned and tossed his bulging weapons pouch to the side. {So, activating the Sharingan. When you did it the first time, it was a tense situation. Adrenaline rush, heightened emotional state. Am I right?} At Sasuke's nod, Naruto continued, {The first few times, you have to recreate that situation. After that, it should come naturally.}

Sasuke frowned. "How do you know that, dobe?"

Naruto tapped his cheek. {Teme. Let me show you.} Closing his eyes, he made a one-handed seal. When he reopened his eyes, they were a murky grey color. {It's because I have a dojutsu of my own, Uchiha. I had to activate it by myself, too. Luckily you have me to help you.} With a mischievous grin, he added, {And the best way to make it happen is a real fight. You up for it?}

A slow smirk spread across Sasuke's face. "Do you even have to ask?"

{Apparently not.} Naruto laughed silently. He tossed his pen and paper aside and beckoned Sasuke towards him.

Sasuke met Naruto's eyes and raised a brow.

Naruto nodded.

The two ran at each other and threw punches. Both missed. Jumping back a pace, Naruto sent a kick flying at Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke caught Naruto's foot and threw him back. Landing on all fours, Naruto stood slowly. His eyes told Sasuke to watch. Reaching down, Naruto released the weights from his calves and lowered them to the ground.

Sasuke growled and sprang at him, annoyed. What was the dobe trying to say?

Naruto suppressed a silent chuckle at Sasuke's sullen look, but his eyes laughed as he danced out of the raven's reach.

Sasuke grew increasingly frustrated as the spar drew on. Each time he thought he was about to land a hit, Naruto dodged. There was no wasted movement by the blonde, and it irritated him.

Naruto, on the other hand, was having a great time. It was nice to know that his training with Gai-sensei was already paying off. Absently he dispelled his dojutsu. This seemed to enrage Sasuke further. "Ninjutsu." The raven hissed out through clenched teeth.

Naruto smirked. It was way too easy to make Sasuke mad…He dodged to the side as Sasuke sent fireballs his way. Biting his thumb and making a few hands seals, Naruto performed the Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique).

Sasuke was startled when a black fox appeared in a cloud of smoke. He'd never even heard of the Fox Summoning Contract….and Naruto had signed it. All of a sudden he wished he's received more summoning training. At his current level, there was no way he could match Naruto's summon.

The black fox sprang towards Sasuke and bit his wrist almost hard enough to snap it. Sasuke recoiled. He hadn't expected the summon to actually hurt him. One glance at Naruto's face told Sasuke the fight had just begun for real.

As the spar drew on, Sasuke was amazed that the fox and Naruto could work in such a synchronized manner without speaking to each other. It was nothing short of incredible. Did Naruto having the Kyuubi inside him have something to do with this? It was a strange thing to watch.

The fight ended rather abruptly when the black fox pinned Sasuke to the ground, claws at his throat. Naruto quickly called the fox off, and it disappeared. He reached a hand down, helping Sasuke to his feet.

Naruto reclaimed his notepad and pen. {Ask Tsunade for instruction with the slug summoning. Even if you think kunoichi are inferior or whatever, she'll get it done much quicker than Jiraiya.}

Sasuke scowled. Asking a woman for help? It didn't sit right with him. But he nodded anyways. It would be useful, after all.

{Good. Now….I bet you didn't even notice that your Sharingan is activated, did you?} Naruto grinned.

Sasuke's hand unconsciously touched beneath his eye, betraying his surprise.

{See what a great sensei I am?} Naruto boasted as he collected his weights and weapons pouch.

"Hn." Sasuke's brow creased as he frowned. "What now, dobe?"

{Wanna explore the library? My dad's jutsu scrolls should be in there. It's what I came here for.} Naruto looked wistfully towards the buildings.

"Fine." Sasuke agreed rather quickly.

The two boys went into the biggest house first. They located the library very quickly and started exploring. It wasn't the size of the Uchiha library, but it was large nonetheless.

"Dobe. I think I found the scrolls you want." Sasuke held a bundle of about seven scrolls. Naruto moseyed over to take a look. {Yup, these are the ones. I bet I can find some others…but these were the main ones I want." The scrolls were _Rasengan, Hiraishin no Jutsu, _and several on their family dojutsu and special techniques. One simply said, _For Naruto. _

{Thanks, Sasuke. I guess since you let me borrow stuff, you can have scrolls anytime you want, too.} Naruto took the scrolls and shoved them with his sealing scrolls into his weapons pouch. {But for now, I should probably get back to the hospital before they send out a manhunt.} he rolled his eyes. {I'm healed already. Come visit me again sometime, teme. Oh, and if you want some more Sharingan training….ask Rock Lee. He can help you even better than I can.} _I'd pay SO much to see that….._

Sasuke smiled slightly at Naruto. "Bye, dobe. Work on your sign language." He shoved a book into Naruto hands.

{Yeah, yeah. Mother hen.}Naruto dodged the swipe Sasuke took at his head. {Later.} The two went their separate ways.

When Naruto returned to the hospital, it was absolute chaos. The nurses quickly snatched him up and returned him to his room.

Naruto sighed. _Back to boredom…_ he reluctantly cracked open the book Sasuke had given him. After about a minute he got bored and made a Kage Bunshin go elsewhere to do it instead. Realizing the ingenuity of that idea, he pulled out all his new scrolls except the one addressed to him and distributed them to Kage Bunshin, who scattered in various directions from the window. _Wahoo, multitasking! _

He was interrupted from his celebration when Tsunade stormed into the room. "You little brat!" she raged. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?"

Naruto blinked innocently and pointed a finger towards himself as if saying, _Who, me? _

Tsunade caught him in a headlock. "Don't give me that, squirt. You're in trouble. And I know the perfect punishment."

Naruto was extremely frightened by the downright sadistic grin that spread across her face. {What are you planning?}

"Oh, I think I'll unleash the Green Beasts of Konoha on you." With a cheery wave, Tsunade left the room.

Something speedy and green flew into the room. "Narutoooo!" a sobbing Lee threw himself at Naruto, falling onto his bed facedown. "I am sorry for what the un-youthful citizens of Konoha have put you through! With your flames of youth, you will surely triumph over the obstacles of a disability!"

Naruto patted Lee's head awkwardly. _He's like a big, disgustingly hairy puppy. _{Thanks, Lee.} He wrote.

Tears ran down Lee's face and he scrunched it up strangely, clenching his fists. "Ohhh! Naruto's youthfulness will be a light to us all, Gai-sensei!"

Gai laughed creepily (you know he's good at it) and gave Lee a sparkling grin along with a thumbs-up. "Yes, my cute student Lee! Follow in the light of Naruto's flames of youth, and the two of you will become so bright you will blind the world!"

Naruto sweat-dropped. _So our goal is to blind the world now? That doesn't sound very 'youthful'. _{Thanks for visiting me, Gai-sensei, Lee. Hopefully I'll be training with you again in no time.}

"YOOOSH!" Lee's eyes became flaming. Gai-sensei put his hand on Lee's shoulder and addressed Naruto. "My temporary student Naruto! Do not fear when returning to training! Lee and I are both fluent in sign language, for it is a youthful way to speak! When you learn, we can all speak fluently."

Naruto's eyes softened. {Thanks, Gai-sensei.} His head turned as the door opened. It was Ino again. "Ah, Naruto! I see you have visitors. I'm just going to put these right here." She busied herself arranging some midnight blue and red flowers in a vase.

Lee's eyes bugged out. He started to say something, but Gai clamped a hand over his mouth. "We'll be leaving now, Naruto. We hope that your youthful spirit will heal you, and that you return to train with us soon." The two green beasts of Konoha left the room.

Ino laughed. "So that's the infamous Gai-sensei, eh? I'm surprised. I guess when you get out of the hospital, I'll get to know him quite well."

{Thanks for the flowers, Ino. They're…..nice.} Naruto sighed and flopped face-down on his bed. {The hospital is so boring.} He held up the notepad from his prostrate position so she could read.

Ino smiled. Naruto could be so childish sometimes, it was kinda cute. Wait….did she really just think that Naruto was cute? GAH! What would Sasuke think? Ino quickly steered her thoughts away from that particular matter. "It seems like you and Sasuke are getting along better."

Naruto sat up. {The teme? Huh, I guess. I still think it's fun to annoy him.} He grinned impishly. {But…we don't really hate each other anymore, yeah?}

"That's good. Oh, guess what! I learned the alphabet in sign language already. So I can spell stuff out, at least." Ino smiled shyly at him.

He grinned back. {Awesome!} He mentally ordered his Kage Bunshin reading the sign language to create a new clone and dispel itself, so he could at least know that much. The knowledge appeared in his head almost instantaneously. {I've learned a bit, too. I can probably at least carry on a decent conversation. Your name is easy….but Sasuke's gonnna have to get a nickname. I am NOT signing his name every time. It's too long.}

Ino giggled. "Yeah, you're probably right. Hey, listen, Naruto…." She trailed off as the door opened. It was her father. "Ino, come with me." Inoichi Yamanaka's gaze was stern as he looked at Naruto.

Naruto shrunk slightly under his hateful eyes. Inoichi dragged Ino out of the room. Naruto buried his face in a pillow and sighed. _How long is this going to continue? How many times do I have to prove myself before they stop looking at me like that? _

Suddenly feeling very alone, Naruto hugged himself and hunched over. **/Kurou?/ **

**/Yeah, kit?/ **The fox replied sleepily, as if he'd just awoken.

**/Has it always been like this? For every host you've had?/ **Naruto wanted to know.

**/Yes./ **The Kyuubi said shortly.

Naruto didn't ask anything else. His spar with Sasuke had left him tired…..and he had nothing better to do. As he drifted off to sleep, he reminded himself to get something to cover the scars on his throat with. He didn't really mind the scars, but it would leave a target there for enemy shinobi to exploit in the future.

His eyes fluttered closed, and he slept.


	12. Chapter 11: Upcoming Crank, Chuunin Ex

{Stand my ground, I won't give in  
>No more denying, I've got to face it<br>Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
>If I don't make it, someone else will<br>Stand my ground

~Stand My Ground by Within Temptation}

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reading. Happy New Year, everyone! I've got another double chapter coming out right for you. ;) I obviously spend too much time in airports. Keep voting for your FAVORITE pairing, and it'll come soon with the Chuunin Exams. That is all!**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! (haha I'm slacking….I know.)<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: Upcoming C-rank, Chuunin Exams?<p>

Naruto woke up several hours later when Tsunade re-entered the room. He smiled and gave her a little wave as greeting.

Tsunade gave him a short check up, channeling her chakra through his system. She shook her head in slight admiration. "The Kyuubi's healing abilities are nothing short of miraculous. You're as healed as you'll ever be. You still won't be able to speak, but I think I can let you come and go as you please. You'll probably still stay here for a few days just to be safe, but you can train, at least. The Sandaime is working on your housing situation."

Naruto pumped his fist into the air before grabbing his pen and paper. {What time is it?}

"About seven in the evening." Tsunade answered.

Naruto cocked his head. {So I can train with Gai-sensei and Lee in the morning?}

Tsunade shrugged. "If you want."

Naruto launched himself at her and gave her a giant hug. {Thanks, Tsunade-baachan!}

Tsunade extricated herself from his grip. "You're welcome, brat." Naruto was probably the only person in the world who could get away with calling her that. He was just like Kushina….

Naruto grabbed his sealing scrolls and unsealed another set of weights, adding them to his leg braces. {Neh, Tsunade? If I give Jiraiya another chance, will I just be disappointed again?}

Tsunade paused. "Jiraiya is an idiot, but not a liar. If he says he'll make it up to you, he will. He's not perfect…but who is? He is one of the few people I trust."

Naruto let loose a long breath. {Thanks. Oh, I almost forgot. Can you train Sasuke with the slug summon?}

Tsunade hesitated. Finally, she said. "I'm not fond of the Uchiha. Normally, I would say no. But Sasuke was very worried for you, and since you asked, I suppose I can at least do that much."

{Thanks! Baa-chan, you're awesome.} Naruto waved as Tsunade left the room again. He set an alarm for early in the morning….

* * *

><p><span>BRRRRRIIIIIING! <span>

Naruto bolted upright as the alarm sounded, raring to go. _Training, training, _he sang to himself. He would've gone to find Ino, but he remembered her dad dragging her away and thought better of it. He'd wait until their team meeting to let her know he was released to train.

**/Hey, Kurou! I'm working on chakra control again during training, so feed me chakra if I run out!/**

The Kyuubi yawned lazily. **/Yeah, yeah./ **

Naruto concentrated chakra to his feet and combined it with wind element, causing his feet to hover about an inch off of the ground. He began walking towards Gai-sensei's training area, but paused in his sojourn when he spotted the girl from Gai's team throwing hundreds of weapons with one hundred percent accuracy. _Wow, she's amazing…._He went a little closer to watch. Tapping her shoulder, he held up his notepad, {Can you do this with every weapon?}

Tenten blinked. "You're Naruto, right? Lee talks about you. I'm Tenten; it's nice to meet you. To answer your question, mostly. My family owns a weapons shop, so I've been training since I was really young."

{That's amazing! You should show me some tricks sometime. My accuracy leaves a little to be desired.} Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly. {Um, I better go now. It was nice talking to you!} Naruto dashed off and skidded into the clearing where Gai-sensei and Lee were. Both looked up, surprised. "Naruto! You were released for training?" Gai questioned.

Naruto nodded, and with a grin, signed, [I heal fast.]

Gai and Lee both looked delighted. [Naruto! You've learned sign language!] Lee signed back.

[Yes. I read an entire book last night.] Naruto smiled. This was kinda fun!

[That is so youthful!] Lee was practically bouncing up and down as he quivered with excitement.

Naruto didn't know exactly what Lee had said on that last bit, but he could guess. [What kind of training are we doing today?]

[Warm-ups, some evasive Taijutsu, and speed training.] Gai answered, signing slowly so that Naruto could understand.

Naruto nodded. [Great!]

They trained for several hours. Naruto was pleasantly tired when they dismissed, but it was nothing like the exhaustion he'd felt on previous days. With a wave to Gai-sensei and Lee, he returned to where Tenten had been. She was still training.

Naruto again tapped her shoulder. {Wanna grab lunch somewhere? You've been training forever, you've got to be getting hungry. I'll buy.}

Tenten agreed. Honestly, who passes up free food? "Thanks, Naruto. That would be great."

{Anywhere you want to go? Because I'm an Ichiraku Addict.} Naruto wrote. His face was solemn.

Tenten laughed. "Ichiraku's is great. By the way, is your team taking the Chuunin Exams?"

As they walked, Naruto wrote. {I don't know. We've only done about 3 D-ranks. Our teamwork sucked so horribly it was just a nightmare to do that much. But we've been hammering out all the rough edges. I think we're good enough, now. Once Ino and Sasuke learn sign language, we should be good to go.}

Tenten nodded. "Makes sense. Well, I hope my team will see yours in the exam. Lee certainly seems to like you."

They both entered Ichiraku and ordered their food.

{What about your other teammate? I don't think I've met them.} Naruto took a seat and gestured for Tenten to do the same.

Tenten sighed. "Oh, Neji? He's a Hyuuga. He acts like the Uchiha, though. That's probably why you've not met him. He's not fond of Gai."

Naruto considered this. {Hyuuga, hmm? Is he related to Hinata?}

Tenten shrugged. "I think they're cousins. I'm not sure, though."

Naruto perked up as a bowl of steaming miso ramen was placed in front of him. 'Itadakimasu.' He mouthed, before breaking his chopsticks and slurping up the ramen.

Tenten had ordered shrimp ramen. She also started eating, albeit at a much slower pace than Naruto. They sat in companionable silence as they finished their meal. Naruto had four more bowls, and Tenten juts ordered a second bowl.

Naruto unsealed some money from his scrolls and paid the bill. {Will you do some weapon shopping with me tomorrow, around this time? I've been meaning to do it for a while but haven't found the time.}

Tenten grinned. "Sure. I'll make sure to find you precisely what you need."

{Thanks, Tenten! See you tomorrow, then.} With a wave, Naruto turned towards the hospital. His team would be waiting….

* * *

><p>Sure enough, when he arrived, all three looked impatient.<p>

[Hey! Sorry I'm late.] he signed.

Ino was the only one who looked confused. Kurenai smiled and signed back. [You've been cleared for training?]

Naruto nodded. [Hey, sensei. Are we entering the…] with a roll of his eyes, he spelled it out, [Chuunin Exams?]

Kurenai appeared startled. [I haven't really considered it. While it's true your teamwork has improved, you have no real field experience….well, Sasuke and Ino don't, anyways.]

Sasuke butt in. [I'm ready. The two of us together can take care of Ino.]

Naruto smirked. Kurenai shrugged. [I'll think on it. Perhaps we should do a C-rank first, though…..]

Ino was getting frustrated, following only bits and pieces of the conversation. "Hey, Naruto! Why didn't you find me if you were training this morning?"

Naruto frowned. [Your dad.]

Ino sighed. "I get it. I can go tomorrow though, right?"

[Yes.] Naruto blinked. Turning to Kurenai, he signed, [Are we doing sign language stuff or training?]

[Both.] Kurenai responded. [But we'll train first.] She continued out loud, mostly for Ino's sake, "We've done teamwork training. I'm satisfied that you can work together as a unit. You all have fair chakra control and different skill sets, good enough to make Chuunin. All you lack is experience and a grasp of ninja tactics. Experience can only come through time. Ninja tactics, though, are something that's different for each shinobi. I can guide you in your choices, but I can't make the choices for you." Kurenai rummaged around in her sash for a moment. "Here we are. These are tactical exercises. I want the three of you to spread out and work on these by yourselves. Think carefully before you answer."

The three genins of Team 7 scattered to do as Kurenai said.

Naruto looked over the first question.

_During a mission, you find out that your enemy is a high ranked missing nin. He leaves town. You: _

_a. Assemble a team of trackers and pursue. _

_b. Use a summon to keep track of the ninja's location while reporting to the Hokage._

_c. Attempt pursuit on your own. _

_d. Set up an ambush._

_e. Return to Konoha to report without tracking the missing nin. _

Naruto rolled his eyes and selected the second answer. The whole test was similar, except the choices grew increasingly controversial.

Finishing the sheet, Naruto stood and wandered back to Kurenai. [I'm finished.] he gave her the paper. Sasuke was already finished, and Ino sauntered up shortly after. The three dropped on the ground to wait as Kurenai looked over their work. She finished and looked up.

"From these answers, we have a balanced team. Ino, your answers were cautious and careful. You're the voice of reason on the team. This balances out Sasuke, who is rash, but has higher power levels than Ino. Naruto's answers were a mixture of strategy, ninjutsu expertise, and rationality…..qualities required in a leader." Kurenai smiled. "The main purpose of this was for me to find out whose hands to leave this team in when I'm not around. Based on the results of this test, Naruto appears to be the best for the job." She looked to Ino and Sasuke. "This is not an debatable decision. I expect you to follow Naruto's orders when I'm not around."

Naruto watched them, wide-eyed. He'd expected Sasuke to be the leader….

Sasuke frowned. He clearly wasn't happy about this... "Understood. But if the dobe's being stupid, we'll let him know."

Ino nodded her assent as well. "No one will expect it, at least."

Kurenai smiled. "Good, then it's decided. Tomorrow we will take a C-rank mission. After that…..if all goes well, we'll enter the Chuunin Exams."

Naruto did a victory dance. Sasuke nodded, superior smirk back in place. Even Ino was excited.

Kurenai chuckled at their antics. "We'll go study some sign language now. Tomorrow we'll meet at the Hokage Tower after lunch. Pack for a mission. Naruto, you should also inform Tsunade you'll be leaving."

Reminded, Naruto tugged on Sasuke's sleeve. The raven turned, brows raised in inquiry. [Tsunade said she'll help you with your slugs. You should find her in the morning and train before we have to go.] Sasuke nodded his thanks.

Ino was watching the two closely. They were starting to act suspiciously….almost like friends. She felt like a third wheel sometimes.

She was interrupted by her scrutiny when Naruto waved a hand in front of her face. He made a slow and deliberate few signs, but Ino didn't know them. At her helpless shrug, Naruto turned to Sasuke with a frustrated sigh.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "The dobe wants you to go shopping with him. The shopkeepers don't understand sign language, it's a hassle to write that much, and he needs to replace things he lost in the fire."

Ino made a face. She needed to get better at this sign language stiff. "Sorry, Naruto. I have to help out at the flower shop today. Maybe Sasuke can help?"

Naruto pouted slightly, then turned to Sasuke.

The Uchiha glowered. "Fine. But do it quickly, because there are things I need to do tonight as well."

Naruto nodded vigorously. 'Fine.' He mouthed back before sticking out his tongue at Sasuke.

Ino suppressed a giggle. "Thank you for asking me, Naruto. Maybe next time. I hope the two of you have fun." They all entered the library. In the sign language section there were about twenty books. When Kurenai started to pick up a stack, Naruto waved her back. [Let me, sensei.] He made four Kage Bunshin and they carried the books to a nearby table. For the next few hours, Team 7 studied the books, learning all they possibly could before they left on their mission. They practiced signing to each other and carried on conversations, looking up the signs that they didn't know. Kurenai had them compile a list of code words using simple signs, so as to throw off the enemy and alert each other quickly. Naruto also requested they shorten Sasuke's name, as it took too long to sign. The Uchiha countered that Naruto's name was just as long, and even harder to sign. Therefore, Naruto became Naru and Sasuke became Sasu. Neither was entirely happy about the "girly" nicknames. Finally, they went to the bookstore and each team member purchased a small sign language "dictionary" to take along on their mission.

Ino and Kurenai left after that. Naruto compiled a list of the items he needed and shoved it at Sasuke.

"Mask, scarf, travel rations, ramen, matches, towels, new hitai-ate." Sasuke read out loud, to confirm. One could never be sure with Naruto's handwriting, after all.

Naruto nodded, then performed a henge.

Sasuke was startled. "What are you doing, dobe?"

Naruto was now a mousy-looking guy with black hair. [It's easier this way.] he signed.

Sasuke understood the hidden meaning and glowered at the ground. "Let's go, then."

They picked up all the things Naruto was looking for except the hitai-ate. Only the Hokage could supply that.

[Thanks, Sasu. I can do the rest. Have fun with….whatever.] he started to go but Sasuke stopped him. [Wait. I didn't say the other day…Happy birthday.]

A warm glow filled Naruto. He smiled brightly at Sasuke and nodded. [Thanks.] he flounced away after that. It was a bit of a wait at the Hokage Tower before he was let in. A masked man with silver hair came out. He eye-smiled at Naruto before going on his way. The Sandaime beckoned Naruto in. "What can I do for you, Naruto?" The blonde rummaged around for his pen and paper. {I need a new hitai-ate. Mine burned.}

The Sandaim'e eyes looked sad. "I see." He sorted through a stack of boxes in the corner and pulled one out. "Take your pick."

Naruto sifted through them and picked out his favorite. It was black with long tails. He tied it around his forehead with relish. {Thanks, jii-san!}

The Sandaime chuckled. "You're welcome, Naruto. I'm always glad to help."

Naruto left the tower and walked back to the hospital. He found Tsunade after asking around a bit. She looked up as he came into another patient's room. "Oh, Naruto. What do you want?"

Naruto held up a note, already written. {My team's going on a C-rank tomorrow. Can I be released early?}

Tsunade stared Naruto down. "On one condition. You take one of my slugs with you."

Naruto's face scrunched up with annoyance, but he nodded.

Tsunade chuckled. "I'll take care of the paperwork, brat. Do you have some place you can stay tonight?"

Naruto thought about it, then nodded. {Sasuke wants to train in the morning before we leave. Also, could you tell me where Jiraiya's house is from here?}

Tsunade gave him a proud smile. "Good for you, brat." She gave the directions and Naruto nodded. {Thanks, baa-chan!} he dashed out the door and retrieved a few things from his hospital room. As he followed Tsunade's directions, he absently sealed his newly purchased items away.

When he reached Jiraiya's house, he rolled his eyes. _Figures. That perv totally bought a house a block from the bathhouse. _Naruto hesitantly walked up to the door and knocked. Jiraiya peered out. When he saw who it was, his face sobered. "Hey, Naruto. Come in."

Naruto stepped inside. {Tsunade said we should talk.} he wrote deliberately.

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Look, kid. I'm really sorry. I should've been here for you. I was making excuses, I'll admit. What should I do to make it up to you?"

Naruto studied Jiraiya, face solemn. {Help me learn my dad's jutsu.}

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up. "An interesting request. All right, I'll help. Anything else?"

Naruto considered it. {Two things, I guess. I need a place to stay until jii-san finds me a new one. I also want my scrolls back.}

Jiraiya laughed guiltily. "I can do that. You can stay as long as you like. I wanted to talk to you about your scrolls, too. I haven't seen anything like this before." He pulled the scrolls from his jacket and handed them over to Naruto.

{Huh, really? And here I thought they were pretty close. I learned from the books and tried to copy the concepts. I guess it didn't work that well.} Naruto frowned.

"It worked, it was just an odd way to go about it." Jiraiya shook his head. "Which stage of the Rasengan are you on, kid?"

Naruto sniffed. {Third. I can do it with a clone, but I want to master it myself.}

Jiraiya grinned. Like father, like son…."Want some tips?"


	13. Chapter 12: Setting Out!

{{And when you fall apart am I the reason for your endless sorrow?  
>There's so much to be said<br>And with a broken heart your walls can only go down but so low  
>Can you hear me when I call your name?<br>When I call your name?

~Call Your Name by Daughtry}}

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you much for reading! Here is your next chapter! Please let me know what you think. For those who don't understand what Naruto's emo-ness in this chapter is about, he lost his ability to speak. Give the kid a little space.**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Setting Out! <strong>

The sound of birds woke Naruto early. Glancing at the clock beside him, he sighed. Ten minutes before the alarm was set…Turning the alarm off, he stood up and meandered to the front room, grabbing the bag he'd stuffed all his scrolls into.

Quietly, so as not to wake Jiraiya, he changed clothes and gathered up his things. He headed out to meet Ino where their team usually met. After that, he would head over to where Gai-sensei and Lee trained.

As he had guessed, she wasn't there yet. It was early, after all. Shifting from foot to foot, Naruto did his best to stay warm for a few minutes before getting annoyed.

Tossing his weapons pouch stuffed with scrolls, a notepad, and paper to the side, Naruto began a taijutsu exercise. The moves had become so natural and thoughtless, he was almost meditating. In the future, he should probably start to develop his own taijutsu style…he would be happy to get out of the village for the first time. Perhaps the new experiences would give him some sort of idea.

It had been a while since he developed a new jutsu, too. On the bright side, at least he'd been making progress on his taijutsu.

His thoughts changed direction abruptly then. It would be difficult to choose a new weapon when he had no idea how his personal taijutsu style would turn out. The only thing he knew was that whatever style he chose, he wanted it to be….fluid. Yes, that was the right word. A fluid taijutsu style would suit him most. He didn't have the most brute strength or speed out there, so having precision and no wasted movements would be his focus points.

He was experimenting somewhat when he heard footsteps. Turning, he met Ino's eyes and waved. [Hey. Ready to go?]

Ino smirked. [You bet I am. I'll show you I'm not a bad kunoichi.]

[Heh. I'm sure you will.] Naruto smirked back and began walking towards the meeting place.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean, baka? Are you mocking me?" Ino stormed after Naruto. Strangely enough, she was smiling slightly.

[Hmm. What do you think?] Naruto grinned back at her as he turned slightly to sign where she could see.

[I think you're still arrogant.] Ino signed back, nose scrunched up in childish anger.

[Yeah, you're right about that one.] Naruto signed cheekily. Inwardly, he wished he was somewhere else right now. On days like these, he really just wished he was alone. Sometimes being in the company of someone else made him realize just how alone he really was. _At least he had Kurou….._

Ino and he walked in silence the rest of the way. Ino thought it was companionable, while Naruto just felt constricted.

Naruto was all too glad when Lee and Gai-sensei greeted them both enthusiastically. He liked Ino better than he had before….but she seemed to think they were friends.

"Kurenai told me you were coming, Ino-san! I am glad there are youthful kunoichi such as yourself! Please address me as Gai-sensei!" Gai grinned with a sparkle and gave her a thumbs up.

Ino sweat dropped. _This_ was Konoha's taijutsu expert? Yikes. "Um, yes. Thank you for training me, Gai-sensei."

"It is the springtime of youth! Let us train and become strong, so that we may shine!" Lee babbled, smiling freakishly at Ino.

Ino nearly gagged. "Of course, Lee-san!" she agreed a little too quickly. She glanced at Naruto, sure that he would be laughing at her. She was surprised to see him staring into the distance, a serious look on his face. "Hey, Naruto!"

His head jerked up in surprise. [What is it?] He signed back, seeming a little peeved.

"You were kinda spacing out, that's all." Ino giggled.

Naruto simply rolled his eyes and didn't bother to sign a reply.

They trained for several hours. Ino became more and more suspicious as Naruto's moodiness seemed to increase. Was something wrong with him? He was acting almost…broody.

"What's wrong with you today, Naruto?" Ino couldn't resist asking as they were cooling down before going their separate ways.

Naruto gave her a scorching look. [Look, Ino. Believe it or not, I'm not exactly in the mood to joke around with you right now.] His signs were short and jerky. [I have things I need to do before we leave. I'm happy that you're taking your training as a kunoichi now, but my business is my own.]

Ino swallowed hard before snapping back. "All right, fine. Forgive me for being worried, dobe."

Naruto watched unrepentantly as she stormed away. _I'll fix it later. Right now I need to meet Tenten. Ahh, I wish I'd scheduled this for a different day…._Shaking his head, he went to find the weapons specialist.

Tenten was waiting where she normally trained as he approached. "Hey, Naruto! Ready to shop?"

Naruto pulled out his paper and pen. {It sounds so unmanly when you put it that way.} His eye twitched slightly in annoyance before he smiled and added. {But yeah, let's go. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to make this quick. We're leaving on an unexpected C-rank at lunch time, and I have to drop by a few places first.}

"Sounds good. What kind of weapon are you looking for?" Tenten clasped her hands behind her back and followed Naruto.

He was getting really good at writing while he walked….{I'm not really sure myself. I'm working on my own taijutsu style…so it's hard to say what type. Something not very bulky; efficient and precise. Nothing that's too complicated to learn to use in a short time. A weapon I can use with a fluid taijutsu style, one that is close-ranged. }

"All right. So no katana, and nothing flashy. Obviously you don't want kunai or shuriken either; you're looking for something special. One thing comes to mind, right off the bat. Have you ever heard of Denizen blades?" Tenten cocked her head in thought.

{No. Should I have?} Naruto scribbled.

Tenten laughed nervously. "I guess not really. I forget sometimes not everyone grew up the way I did. Well, I'll show you when we get to the shop. I think that's sort of what you're looking for."

When the shop door swung open, Tenten's father greeted them both. His face didn't change at all as he recognized Naruto. "Welcome!"

Naruto blinked in surprise. Tenten only laughed. "Hey, dad. Where are those two Denizen knives we have? The slightly curved ones? Naruto is looking to make a purchase."

"Uzumaki Naruto, eh? Nice to meet you. I am Hiruka Ama, Tenten's father and owner of this shop. I'll go fetch those knives." He winked at Naruto and disappeared into the back.

Tenten laughed at Naruto's befuddled expression, misinterpreting his surprise at being treated normally for thinking her dad was strange. "I know he's a bit weird. But he's a good person, I promise."

Naruto flushed and quickly wrote, {I don't mean to insult him! He's been nothing but kind. It's just unusual.} He guessed Tenten and he weren't speaking of the same things, but just in case, he answered with a reply that could be taken either way.

With a nod of understanding, Tenten smiled at him. "It's all right, really. He IS unusual, and that's not an insult to him."

Hiruka returned from the storeroom holding two dark-colored blades. Ninja weapons couldn't shine, after all. "Here you are, Naruto."

Naruto examined the knives with a keen interest for several minutes. Finally he shook his head and handed it to Tenten, picking up his notepad. {This is just what I need. It's amazing that you could tell what I was thinking when I had no idea.}

He heard Tenten's father give a little grunt of surprise as he wrote instead of speaking. Tenten shushed him with an angry look.

Naruto bit his lip to keep it from quivering. _Not pity, anything but pity…..I just need to get through this a day more…_

Luckily Tenten seemed to hear his silent plea and spoke before her father could, "Hehe! I'm just awesome like that." She boasted, trying to ease the tension. It worked, but only somewhat. "I'm glad to help anytime, though."

Naruto gave her a small, sad smile. {Thanks, Tenten.} he scrawled simply, suddenly needing to get away. He paid for his purchase, along with holsters for the weapons, and left, with a serene nod to Tenten and her father. He could hear her scolding him as soon as the door closed.

_Better go get a dumb slug from Tsunade next._ Naruto sighed to himself. It made no sense when Sasuke would be training with slugs about right now. If he really needed one, Sasuke could summon it. Sometimes old people were so weird….

Naruto walked all the way to the hospital and found Tsunade. She smiled as he approached. "Hey, Naruto. I trained Sasuke early this morning. Good luck on your mission. Keep this slug with you, her name is Amaya."

Naruto nodded and took the slug, placing it on his shoulder. He winced slightly at the slimy feel on his hands. Wiping his hands on his pants he wrote, {Thanks, baa-chan.} With a wave he left to return to Jiraiya's house. It was time to wear his new mask and grab a few last minute things before his mission. Then, he supposed he'd best tell Jiraiya he'd be leaving. He scowled as he realized he didn't have a key.

Sighing, he knocked on the door. Jiraiya opened it and let him in. Naruto held up his already written message, {Going on a mission. Don't know exactly when I'll be back. Thanks for everything. Gonna grab a few things then head out.}

Jiraiya nodded. "Thanks for telling me, kid."

Naruto restrained himself from making a face back at the Sannin as he grabbed his things and left again. Sometimes people could be so tiring….

Closing the door, Naruto rifled through his things and pulled out the face mask he'd purchased. If he was going for this look, he might as well cover his hair as well. It _would_ make it easier to claim his inheritance, after all. The only reason the Sandaime was concerned was because he looked so much like his father.

Shrugging off his jacket Naruto pulled the face mask up over his nose. Donning his jacket again, he pulled up the hood over his hair. Much better. Now only his eyes could be seen, and though blue was an uncommon color for the Japanese, Naruto wasn't the only one around with blue eyes.

As he started for the place their team was meeting, Naruto absently considered when Mizuki would be put on trial. A white-hot surge of anger filled him at the thought of the man. Being beat up didn't bother him anymore; however, taking his voice was something he couldn't forgive. Didn't he have enough handicaps already?

Lost in thought, he didn't see the tall man coming until they had already run into each other. Naruto barely kept his feet and he stumbled backwards. It was Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Nin.

Naruto wasn't very fond of the Cyclops, so he simply bowed slightly and kept walking.

Kakashi wasn't finished, however. He eye-smiled at Naruto. "You're Minato-sensei's kid, right? You look just like him."

Naruto held back a scowl. {That's right.} he wrote in reply. He hated this! Why wouldn't people just leave him alone?

Kakashi couldn't contain his surprise. _Why is Minato-sensei's son writing instead of speaking? Trauma? _That shouldn't be happening. Minato's kid should be stronger than that. "Why don't you speak?"

Naruto's fist clenched around the pen and his knuckles were white as he wrote, {Thanks to my wonderful _father_, everyone in the village wants to kill me. When someone gets their throat slit, it's very unlikely they're going to speak again, Hatake.}

A bit put off, Kakashi frowned. "I'm sorry about that, but it's not really Minato-sensei's fault."

Naruto looked up at Kakashi incredulously. {He's the one who sealed _**it**_ into me. Pray tell, how is this not his fault?}

Kakashi was getting annoyed with this kid. "He did what he had to, to save the village."

Naruto's eyes were like ice chips. {He didn't save the village. He passed the duty on to someone who couldn't protest: me. And if I had a choice, the Kyuubi would have ripped you all apart then and there.}

Kakashi was taken aback at the venom. He was so young, but his bitterness was greater than most seasoned ninja. There was really nothing else to be said. "I know Minato-sensei loved you, Naruto." He tried.

Naruto stared at Kakashi with such piercing disbelief that the Copy Nin took a step backwards. {Well he sure had a funny way of showing it. He was an idealist, Hatake. There was no possible way he could truly believe they would treat me well. No Jinchuuriki has ever been treated well, and he wasn't stupid enough to believe Konoha would be any different.} He brushed past the older nin and headed towards his team, not even allowing Kakashi a chance to reply.

His team all seemed surprised at the foul mood radiating around him.

"What's wrong with you, dobe?" Sasuke questioned.

Naruto glared at him and didn't reply. [Let's just go.]

Ino, Sasuke, and Kurenai exchanged glances. Kurenai sighed. "All right, then. We're heading out to the Wave Country."

Naruto sighed, also. [Sorry. Stuff just happened. I didn't mean to take it out on you.] He eye-smiled at them, a mimicry of Kakashi. It was 100% fake, just like Kakashi's.

Kurenai rolled her eyes. She couldn't help it. He looked too much like Kakashi in that moment. She wasn't fond of Kakashi. "Once we reach the gates, you'll meet our client. Our mission is to safely escort him back to the Country of Wave."

Ino turned greedy eyes on Kurenai. "Him? Ooh, who are we escorting? A prince? A diplomat?"

Kurenai chuckled at Ino's romanticism. "An old man. He's building a bridge in Wave."

Ino wilted. "Oh, well that sucks." She turned her attention to Naruto. "What's with the mask and hood anyways, baka?"

Naruto tensed. [I would think that would be obvious, Ino.]

Ino cocked her head in confusion. Oh. _Oh. _So the scars _did_ bother him. "Yeah, I guess so…." She chuckled nervously.

They reached the gates without any more tense situations. Kurenai introduced them to Tazuna, who scoffed at their puniness, and they were on their way.

Naruto looked around in curiosity as they walked. [I've never been out of the village before,] he commented idly to Ino and Sasuke.

"I haven't, either." Ino smiled at Naruto.

Sasuke hadn't, either. "Hn." He agreed.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the raven. [Back to that, again? For always preaching about how wonderful you Uchiha's are, you sure lack proper grammar. 'Hn' isn't even a word.]

Sasuke smirked back at the blonde. "Hn." He said again, just to annoy Naruto.

Naruto didn't rise to the bait. [Hey, Kurenai-sensei. What do you think I should be working on before the Chuunin Exams?]

Kurenai blinked at the question. "It's nice to know you're thinking ahead. You've already drastically improved your taijutsu. Your ninjutsu is already on par with many jounin, just from what I've seen. I would say…..Genjutsu. If we have time during our mission, I'd be happy to teach you all a few things."

Ino squealed. "Thanks, Kurenai-sensei! What else should I work on?"

Kurenai smiled. Perhaps they would do well at the Chuunin Exams, after all. "You're focusing on your taijutsu with Gai and Naruto. That is probably your weakest point, so it's good that you're thinking about it. Your ninjutsu is average, and probably good enough to make Chuunin. All I would really say about you, Ino, is that you tend to be too cautious. While it balances Sasuke out, you should take a few risks every once in a while."

Naruto smiled slightly. [The teme's not gonna ask, but he wants to know, too.]

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. That stupid dobe…..was right.

Kurenai chuckled. "Thanks for that, Naruto. Sasuke, you're good at ninjutsu, subpar with Genjutsu, and good with taijutsu. You need to keep improving in all three categories, but you're probably Chuunin level. Your weakness is your pride, as many Uchiha. You shouldn't be afraid to ask your teammates for support."

Sasuke scowled at the ground, not really taking her words seriously. Naruto flicked his shoulder. [She's right, teme. You should listen.]

Sasuke growled at Naruto in reply. "Dobe." They crossed a bridge and came upon a path flanked on either side by trees.

Naruto blinked. [Oh, look. A random puddle in the middle of the road when it hasn't rained for days.]

Ino and Sasuke's eyes snapped to the puddle. Oh, crap..

Naruto gave them both a devilish grin. [Want to jump in it?]

Ino stifled a laugh. [I think it would be worthwhile.]

Sasuke grunted. [Hn.]

[Don't 'hn' me in sign language! It's just pointless!] Naruto shot back before taking a running start and jumping into the puddle.

Ino followed, and made sure to land as hard as she could.

There was a pained grunt.

Sasuke watched, feigning disinterest. Uchiha's did not jump in puddles.

Kurenai-sensei held back a chuckle at her students. She cancelled the Genjutsu of a puddle with a soft, "Kai!"

The Demon Brothers of the Mist came up from the ground and attempted to attack Kurenai with their chains.

Kurenai cast a quick Genjutsu to fool them into thinking they had crushed her. She quickly hit them both on the head from behind. She turned to Tazuna. "There is no way missing nin would be after me or my students. What have you not told us, Tazuna-san?"

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, yes. I know. Tenten does NOT have an official last name, nor are her parents named at all. But it's super hard to write her and her father without these names, so I just made up a name or used a name that many people use. Please don't be mad. xD **


	14. Chapter 13: Wave Intro

{{This is for long-forgotten  
>Light at the end of the world<br>Horizon crying  
>The tears he left behind long ago<br>The albatross is flying  
>Making him daydream<br>The time before he became  
>One of the world`s unseen<p>

~The Islander by Nightwish }}

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><p><strong>AN: I have to apologize for how lazy I was with this chapter. x) However, in canon, the whole purpose of the first fight with Zabuza was to introduce Kakashi's Sharingan and Team 7's first real attempt at teamwork. Considering my Team 8 already has teamwork, and there's no abilities of Kurenai's to introduce as of yet, *evil chuckle* I didn't have much use for it. So sorry if you were expecting something better. xD I promise I'll try to make the real fight better to make up for it. This is kinda just getting parts of the story out of the way. And this way I don't have to wait forever before the next fight. I have a story to advance, after all.**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto! I tried to abduct the Konoha 9 and Gaara, but I was stopped by Yamato. *shudder* That dude's scary.<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Wave Intro<strong>

Tazuna laughed nervously. "What do you mean by that?" he dodged the question.

Kurenai's eyes flashed angrily. "Don't avoid the question. You paid for a C-rank mission, which means there should be no missing nin involved. So what is going on here?"

Naruto looked from his sensei to his client, hoping the tension would disappear.

Tazuna finally sighed. "All right! Fine! We didn't have the money so we had no choice. It's Gatou, Gatou's the one who's after me."

Ino frowned. "Doesn't Gatou own some multimillion dollar shipping company?"

Tazuna nodded. "It's a front for his illegal activities. He doesn't want the bridge built because he wants a monopoly on Wave, and he doesn't want us to be able to trade for goods elsewhere. The bridge would give us other places to do business, and he can't have that. So he's hired ninja to stop us."

Kurenai growled. "I understand if you can't pay at this moment, but the Hokage is an understanding man. If you would've told the truth, you could've paid the debt later and gotten a team of Jounin to escort you. Doing things the way you have puts you in even more danger, and my students way over their heads."

Sasuke grunted. "I think we can take whatever happens, Sensei. We need this mission, to prepare for the Exams."

[The bastard's right.] Naruto added his own input. [It'll be dangerous, but it's good training. In the future something similar could happen and we need to be prepared for that. Missions aren't usually what they seem, sensei. You'd know that even better than we do.]

Ino smiled shakily. "I'm scared, but I'm ready to do this, Kurenai-sensei."

Kurenai couldn't hold back a proud smile as she looked at her team. "I understand. We will complete this mission. However, Tazuna, you will pay for a B-rank, or an A-rank if that's what this turns into."

The old man nodded vigorously. That lady was _scary_, he didn't want to argue with her. "Yes ma'am."

Kurenai coughed to hide her chuckle. "Good. As long as we're clear. Now tell me all you know about Gatou."

Naruto tuned out as the old man blabbed about the shipping billionaire. He checked his knives in the sheathes absently before turning to Sasuke. [How was training?]

Sasuke smirked back at him. [Effective.]

Naruto rolled his eyes. [Tsunade usually is. You're going to have to give me a bit more than that, teme.]

Sasuke's lips twitched the tiniest bit before he signed, [Hn.] in reply. He knew how much Naruto hated it. He just didn't care.

[Teme.] Naruto sighed and turned away, suddenly feeling jaded. The talk about Gatou had faded out as they got closer to Wave, because Tazuna was afraid someone would hear. They boarded a boat after some length of walking. The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

It seemed to take days for the boater to paddle them to Wave across the water, though in reality it probably only took slightly over an hour.

Naruto was itching to train, move, or to do basically _anything_ away from his teammates. Lately being with people grated on his already fraying nerves, and he didn't want to have an explosion of tension here. It was bad enough he'd already said some things he didn't quite mean to Kakashi, a relative stranger. Talking to his teammates about this, it would just bring problems and baggage they definitely didn't need in an already tough situation.

Snapped from his thoughts by a foreign presence, Naruto looked around. He couldn't tell quite where the person was, but the presence was elusive. He tried to warn his team but they weren't looking at him, and he was too far away to get to them in time.

His frantic motions stopped as he realized Kurenai had definitely noticed. The beautiful crimson eyes were scanning around, searching for the intruder. Kurenai's eyes widened, and a fraction of a second later Naruto's did, too. "Sasuke! Ino! Get down!"

The two Genin barely managed to throw themselves to the ground before a huge and deadly blade passed through the air, right where their necks had been. Ino gulped as the blade almost severed a tree trunk and became stuck in the tree.

A tall man jumped to the hilt of the blade, landing gracefully. "I see. Ninja on this level couldn't be taken care of by the Demon Brothers. The Genjutsu Mistress, Kurenai Yuuhi."

Kurenai pulled a kunai from her weapons pouch, glaring. "The Demon of Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza. I never expected to meet you here." Not even turning her gaze away, she addressed her team, "Protect Tazuna and stay back. He's out of your league."

Sasuke scowled and started to protest, but Naruto dragged him backwards towards Tazuna. [Follow orders, teme.] He signed, almost too fast for Sasuke to read. Ino backed up and the three genins formed a triangle around Tazuna.

Zabuza stared calmly at Kurenai. "I'm sorry, but I'll need you to hand over the geezer, woman."

"I'm sorry as well, but I can't allow that to happen." Kurenai lifted her chin and prepared for a fight.

Zabuza nodded. It was expected. "Then let's cut the chit-chat here. I'll be killing that geezer right away."

Tazuna gulped. Ino and Sasuke noticed. "Don't worry, Tazuna-san. We'll protect you with our lives." Ino reassured him. "To fail a mission gives a ninja a bad name."

Watching this impassively, Zabuza gave a wry chuckle. "It appears that I have to defeat the lot of you first." Zabuza pulled his sword from the tree and drifted downwards, landing lightly on the water.

Kurenai watched motionless as Zabuza made a hand seal. Water began to swirl around him. "Kirigakure no Jutsu." He muttered. A wave of mist swept over the area, making visibility next to non-existent.

Kurenai stepped back in front of her students. "I assume he'll try to eliminate me first, but be ready for anything. Sasuke, Ino. Follow Naruto's orders."

Zabuza laughed. The sound echoed through the mist. "Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney, and heart. Which vital area should I strike at first?"

Kurenai didn't move, still waiting for Zabuza to begin the fight.

As if annoyed at her inactivity, Zabuza used Body Flicker and suddenly came in between Tazuna and the three Genin. Or he would have, if it wasn't for the grip Naruto had on Tazuna's wrist. Naruto was tensed and ready, and he pulled Tazuna to the side with him as he jumped backwards. Shoving the old man behind him, Naruto unsheathed his Denizen knives and dropped into a battle stance. He closed his eyes, and when they opened, they were a murky grey color.

Kurenai quickly moved to stand beside Ino and Sasuke, who were picking themselves up from the leaps they'd made to get away from Zabuza.

Zabuza wasn't paying attention to Kurenai, though. His eyes were locked onto Naruto's. "Hmm, interesting brat you've got here. I've never seen a dojutsu like his." He spoke to Kurenai, as if deeming Naruto unimportant.

Naruto suddenly lunged for Zabuza. The nuke-nin blocked the blonde's slash with his insanely and pointlessly giant sword. "Not bad, kid."

Naruto's arms shook as he held back the sword. Was this the power of a high rank ninja? He had a ways to go... Jumping back, he ducked as the sword passed over his head. To the side he signed, [May I fight him, Kurenai-sensei?]

Kurenai sighed. She'd been hoping to avoid this. Naruto was definitely not up to Zabuza's level, but then again, he would never get there without fighting opponents stronger than him. She could just jump in if anything went wrong. Giving Ino and Sasuke a look that said, '_follow', _she moved in front of Tazuna. "Go ahead, Naruto. Ino, Sasuke, back him up." This was supposed to be their mission, after all.

Naruto's feral grin nearly split his face in two. [Let's get this party started!]

Zabuza's expression didn't change the slightest bit. "Kids pretending to be ninja will die, anyways, so it doesn't matter if I kill them or someone else does."

Ino shook slightly. She was scared. She glanced at Sasuke and saw that he seemed scared as well. She…she could help him! Throwing aside her fear, Ino stood tall. "Bring it on, you cow-print clad freak!"

Naruto's face almost turned purple from holding back laughter. Leave it to Ino to come up with the dumbest sounding insult possible. She was so good at it. Honestly, _forehead?_ Couldn't she do better than that?

Sasuke's lips twitched with suppressed laughter as well, his fears forgotten.

Zabuza didn't seem to find this very funny. He swung his ridiculously large sword, causing two Genin to leap backwards. He was shocked when the blonde one ducked under his sword; there was no way he could've predicted that move. Naruto stabbed the ex-mist nin in the midsection with his Denizen knives. Unfortunately for him, "Zabuza" turned into a puddle of water. _Mizu Bunshin…..sigh. _

Kurenai stared at Naruto for several seconds, surprised herself. Abruptly she remembered Naruto's dojutsu was active. He'd probably turned back time several times throughout the fight to prevent various injuries. The value of his dojutsu began to dawn on Kurenai. He could know events that were happening before they took place, and therefore "predict" the moves his opponent would make.

Zabuza came out of the mist. "Not bad, kid. Must have something to do with that annoying dojutsu of yours." He was very nonchalant for someone who'd just been 'stabbed'. "No matter, I won't make the same mistake again." He frowned somewhat when he saw the three kids making signs, apparently talking to each other. They weren't anything he recognized. What were they planning? Not that it mattered.

Another person, presumably an enemy, suddenly Body Flickered in. "Zabuza-sama. We have been summoned." It was a boy, from the tone.

Zabuza swore. "Right when things were about to get good, too. We'll meet again, woman, brats." He told Kurenai, before disappearing along with his companion in a swirl of mist. The mist technique over the area disappeared.

Naruto sighed. They hadn't gotten to fight much, and had wasted a lot of precious time. Releasing his dojutsu, he turned to Kurenai, pouting. [That was lame.]

Kurenai sighed. "I wouldn't go wishing for danger, Naruto. It will come regardless. Despite that, well done, you three. You protected Tazuna in a tense situation."

The three Genins exchanged glances. "So what now?" Ino spoke up.

Tazuna finally spoke. "Thank you, all of you. Please allow me to host you at my house."

_Suddenly polite, old man? Afraid we'll leave you to die? _Naruto snorted to himself.

Kurenai, however, just smiled. "That would be appreciated, Tazuna-san. Shall we go there now?"

"That is fine." Tazuna nodded. The old man led the way to his house. When they arrived, he introduced Team 8 to his daughter and her son. They sat down for dinner.

Inari didn't even look up as he was being introduced. "You're all gonna die," he said gloomily.

Team 8 ignored him. That is, except Naruto. He glared at the brat, wishing for the world that he could yell at the kid. _Ugh, this is depressing…._

Kurenai politely thanked the family for the meal, and they all began to dig in. Throughout the dinner, Mr. Doom-And-Gloom Inari couldn't keep his mouth shut about how they were all going to fail.

Naruto ate his food quickly, wanting to get away as soon as possible. Inari's whining was really grating on his nerves. When Inari made a comment about how they knew nothing about hardship, that was it. Slamming his chopsticks down onto the table, he stood suddenly, glared venomously at Inari, and stormed out of the room.

There was a long moment of silence, which was only broken by Kurenai's sigh of resignation. "I'm sorry about that; Naruto's had a hard life. If you let him cool off, he'll be fine. He's not normally so short-tempered."

Ino pushed back from her seat at the table. "I'm going to make sure he's okay." She said softly.

Kurenai smiled at her. "Please do." She was surprised when Sasuke stood as well, following Ino outside. _Maybe they have better teamwork than I'd thought. _

Ino looked to Sasuke when they came outside. "Any idea how to find Naruto?"

Sasuke smirked as several explosions came from the west. "That would be the dobe."

Ino sighed. Even when Naruto wasn't there, he had to make her look stupid in front of Sasuke. So annoying. They found Naruto in the middle of a giant crater in the ground. "God, Naruto, what did you do?"

Naruto's head whipped up, ready to bite her head off. When he saw it was just Ino and Sasuke, he relaxed. [Something feels off. We shouldn't have accepted this mission. It just feels…ominous.]

Sasuke let loose a sharp breath, scoffing. "You sound like a scared girl, Naruto."

"Hey!" Ino protested, stung at being compared to Naruto. Naruto bared his teeth at Sasuke, stomped towards him, and lifted him up one-handed by the shirt collar. Staring into his eyes angrily, he signed with his free hand, [I'm being serious here, you prick. But forget it.] He dropped Sasuke none too gently, still glaring. His eyes flashed red for a split second.

Sasuke coughed, rubbing his neck. He must've been seeing things; Naruto's eyes were blue. "What was that for, dobe?"

Ino looked on in slight horror. What was going on? They'd been acting like friends the past few days, why were they angry at each other again?

[Just leave me alone.] Naruto turned away from them both, staring at the horizon.

Sasuke and Ino exchanged looks. Sasuke simply shook his head and went back to the house. Ino cautiously went to stand beside Naruto. "What's wrong, Naruto? You're not making any sense." She said it as gently as possible.

Naruto seemed to wilt, and he collapsed against the ground. [I know. Something bad is going to happen. I'm worried. And…I won't be able to warn anyone, if something does happen. It worried me, when I sensed Zabuza nearby and I couldn't even tell you. I can't trust you guys enough to tell you what's going on with me.]

Ino chewed her lip, suddenly worried herself. "Why can't you trust us? Naruto we're-"

Naruto turned his blues on her. The look was so full of emotion, that she was shocked into silence. The moment was ruined as he stood up, breaking their eye contact. [I've lost so much, Ino. I can't lose anything else, _I can't. _No matter the consequences.] He walked away from her, not looking back once.

She stared after him wide-eyed for a long time before she turned back towards Tazuna's house. What was going on with Naruto?

**A/N: That's the million dollar question, isn't it? –chuckles- Sorry once again for the short length, I'm working on it. Next chapter is when everything goes down, I promise. Please read and review, I'm very grateful! **


	15. Chapter 14: Wave Outro

{{You say, dreams are dreams  
>I ain't gonna play the fool anymore<br>You say, 'cause I still got my soul  
>Take your time baby<br>Your blood needs slowin' down  
>Breach your soul to reach yourself before you gloom<br>Reflection of fear make shadow of nothing  
>Shadow of nothing<p>

~Wind by Akeboshi }}

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, Haku is **_**female**_** in my version here. Just thought I'd clarify that. Please read my author's note at the end…and review. Because I'd honestly like to know what you think of this chapter.**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: If I were to own Naruto, Gaara would be from Konoha. Since he's not, you can conclude that I do not own Naruto. Ehem. *clears throat*<strong>

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><p><em>This is getting troublesome…(sighs) Here's the key one more time: <em>

_{ Naruto's writing}_

_[Naruto's signing]_

_/Talking to Kyuubi/_

_And a new one, *Naruto's speaking via chakra*_

On with the show.

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: Wave Outro<br>**

Sensing an unfamiliar chakra system close by, Naruto abruptly sat up.

There was a girl in a pink kimono kneeling beside him. "Why are you sleeping here? You could catch a cold."

Naruto was suspicious, but kept it to himself. He rifled through his weapons pouch and pulled out a notepad. {I am a ninja of Konoha. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I was training, and I fell asleep. Thank you for waking me. What is your name, and what are you doing out here in the middle of the woods, if you don't mind me asking?}

The girl smiled. "I don't mind at all. My name is Haku. It is nice to meet you, Naruto-kun. I was collecting herbs. I make them into salves and remedies and sell them for a profit. Why are you training so hard? You look plenty strong already."

Naruto nodded. {Would you like some help? I need to be stronger. I have to work hard.}

Haku tucked her hair behind her ears serenely. "I would be grateful for your help." She explained what she was looking for and showed Naruto the herbs she had already collected before continuing, "Do you know when someone becomes truly strong? It's when they are protecting a precious person. Do you have people who are precious to you, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gave her a small smile. {I understand what you are saying.} He wrote simply in reply. He didn't have those precious people…yet. But every life was important and he would defend his teammates with his last breath.

Haku straightened up and gave him a soft smile in return. "I am glad. You will become very strong, Naruto-kun. Thank you for your help, but I must be going now."

Naruto waved in farewell as the beautiful girl disappeared into the trees. With a soft sigh, he realized he owed his team an apology. They were important to him, and he was shutting them out. Once Team 8 returned to Konoha, he had some things to discuss with them…..

Brushing leaves from his ninja pants, he headed back towards Tazuna's house. He was ravenous, and his team was probably getting somewhat worried about him.

When he strode through the door, Ino greeted him tentatively. Sasuke simply grunted. [Can I talk to you two for a moment?]

Ino smiled. "Sure." Sasuke simply shrugged. The two followed Naruto back outside.

He tapped his fingers nervously on his pants before signing, [I was out of line yesterday. I apologize. There are some things I've been hiding from the both of you. When we return to Konoha, I need to have a long talk with you both. Er, well, I can't _talk_ but….] he stopped signing and shook his head, wincing slightly. [Sorry. Anyways, I just wanted you to know it's not really your fault or anything, I guess I just have a hard time trusting people. That's all.]

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That was a long speech to say something very simple, dobe."

Ino chuckled. They were back to normal. "I forgive you, Naruto."

The blonde smiled softly. Basking in the soft rays of sunlight, he looked more content than Ino had ever seen him. [Thanks.] He looked to Sasuke and cocked his head, considering. [Hey, bastard. Come over here for a second.]

Sasuke glowered. "Why?"

[Just do it, you prick.] Naruto sighed. Why was the raven always so difficult?

Sasuke took a few wary steps towards him, eyes alert.

Naruto rolled his eyes and pulled Sasuke's shirt collar to the side slightly. _As I thought_. Where he'd practically strangled Sasuke the previous night was a mottled purple hand print. Concentrating his chakra to his hands, Naruto quickly healed the bruise with a light brush of his fingertips.

Sasuke pulled back, a little surprised. And…for some reason, strangely happy. "That wasn't necessary, dobe. A bruise won't kill me."

Naruto wished he could growl. [I know. Teme. I wanted to; it was my fault anyways. Just be grateful and shut it, bastard.]

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke turned away to hide his slight smile.

Feeling a warm glow, Ino chuckled silently at the two. They were so awkwardly amusing. Grabbing the two in a headlock with either arm, she pulled them close to her face. "Come on, you two. We've got some bridge guarding to do." she dragged them back to the house before letting them go, despite their struggling. "Kurenai-sensei will be waiting!"

When they re-entered Tazuna's house, Kurenai was indeed waiting. "Have you worked out your problems, Naruto?" she asked, not rudely.

Naruto smiled slightly. [As much as I can for the moment. Thank you for understanding, sensei.] He gave her a short bow to show his sincerity. He turned to Tazuna, eyes inquisitive. [When will you be heading to the bridge, Tazuna?]

Kurenai translated.

The old man snorted. "Whenever you're ready, kid."

Naruto shrugged. [I'm here now, aren't I?]

Kurenai rolled her eyes. _Men._ "All right, we'll be heading out then. Naruto, I'd like you to stay here with Tazuna-san's family. Sasuke and Ino, come with me."

Ino gave Kurenai a frustrated look. "How will Naruto be able to contact us if something is wrong, sensei? Maybe I'd be better if Sasuke or I stayed."

Kurenai paused. "Though I think Naruto could handle whatever happened, I suppose for safety's sake, you're probably right, Ino. All right, Sasuke, you stay. Naruto…" she turned to the blonde and cocked her head at his frown. "Something you'd like to say, Naruto?"

Naruto's brow was wrinkled in thought. [Well, I think I could remedy that. I've been working on something.] he reached into his weapons pouch and handed Kurenai a few designs sketched on paper. [They're seals. I think I found one that will work.]

Kurenai blinked. "Work for what?"

[Communication via chakra. If I draw those seals on something and you have them, we can communicate. I don't really have the materials to do it here, so I'd just have to draw it on your skin somewhere temporarily.]

"And you've verified that this works?" Ino quizzed.

Naruto simply nodded. [If I draw the seals on all of us, we'll be able to talk.]

"How long will it take you to draw four of the seals?" Kurenai seemed eager at the prospect of wordless AND sign-less communication.

[Not long. Would you like me to start?] Naruto watched her for a reaction.

"That would be very helpful." Kurenai agreed.

Naruto gave her a genuine smile. [I'll start then. Do you mind if I do yours first?]

"Go ahead." Kurenai was curious how this all worked.

Naruto pulled a scroll from his weapon's pouch and unsealed some ink and a brush. [I'll begin, then. Where would you like me to paint it? Anywhere it won't rub off is fine. Probably your shoulder or neck is best.] _And less awkward for me._

Kurenai laughed. "I feel as if I'm getting a tattoo." She lifted her hair to the right side. "The left side of my neck is fine."

[Great. I'll paint it, then. It should dry rather quickly.] Naruto studied one of the papers he had handed her and began to paint with slow, precise strokes. He had finished within four minutes.

He did Ino's and Sasuke's after that in the same place Kurenai's was before giving them all a small grin. [I can't put mine on my shoulder very easily, so I'll have to put it on my chest.] He removed his shirt and did quick work, letting it dry before he put his shirt back on.

*Can you all hear me?* Naruto sent his chakra through the seal tentatively. The more chakra you sent, the louder the voice was.

*Yes.* the three replies of Ino, Sasuke, and Kurenai came almost simultaneously.

*All right! It works. I guess you guys can go now, hehe.* Naruto chuckled awkwardly.

*This is very convenient, Naruto. Thank you. When we say something through these seals, it's relayed to everyone, right?* Kurenai's chakra voice sounded the same as her normal voice, unsurprisingly.

*You're welcome. And yeah, that's right. So if there's anything private you need to talk about, don't do it through these seals. That would be more than a little awkward.* Naruto blinked.

Kurenai stifled a laugh. "We've made Tazuna-san wait long enough. Ino, Sasuke, we'll stick to my original plan. Let's head to the bridge. Naruto, I'm counting on you. Let us know if there's trouble."

*Yes ma'am.* Naruto chuckled through the chakra link.

_It's nice to be able to hear his voice again, even if it's only in my head._ Ino gave Naruto a smile and turned to follow Kurenai.

Sasuke squinted slightly at Naruto. "Don't screw up, dobe."

*What faith you have in me, Mr. Emo-Pants.* Naruto cackled.

Sasuke stared at him in horror. Was he, a great Uchiha, just called an…emo pants?

*Ahahaha! You should see the look on your face, Sasuke. I've been saving that for a while. It's hard to say that insultingly enough in sign language! Hahah! Emo pants….* Naruto's face nearly split in two with his huge grin.

Ino and Kurenai both shook their heads in weary resignation. Naruto would be Naruto.

Sasuke finally unfroze and was about to start yelling at him. Rolling her eyes, Ino grabbed Sasuke's arm and dragged him off. Naruto and Sasuke's arguments could last for eternity….better to end it before it began.

*Don't EVER call me that again, Naruto!* Sasuke threatened via his seal.

Naruto just laughed and made a shooing motion in Sasuke's direction. *Get to work, Uchiha.*

The rest of Naruto's team went to the bridge with Tazuna, leaving Naruto with Inari and his mother. Bored, Naruto pulled out the scroll he'd borrowed from the Uchiha library. Well, he supposed it was _Sasuke's _library now, considering his brother was the only other Uchiha left. Naruto didn't suppose he would be allowed in Konoha again.

Naruto scanned the scroll, smiling at what he saw. It was called Bikou no Jutsu. It appeared to be relatively simple; channeling chakra to the nose and tracking someone via scent. It was a C-rank jutsu, because it connected your chakra to the other person's. If the person you were trying to track was a sensory type, they would know you were trying to find them. Even so, it could be extremely useful, even now.

Because if Zabuza didn't show up, they would have to find him.

Shaking free of the clinging thought, Naruto quickly made the hand seals for the jutsu and did as the scroll instructed. Kurenai and Sasuke could both probably sense the jutsu, so he focused on Ino as his target.

Sure enough, he could tell that she was several kilometers away at the bridge. Satisfied he could use the jutsu, Naruto tucked the scroll away into his pouch again, reminding himself to return it Sasuke when they had gone back to Konoha.

Next, he pulled out a scroll he'd "borrowed" from the Hokage library. He was just starting to open it when he heard Inari's mother scream.

Dashing outside, he found three of Gatou's men holding a knife to her throat and Inari sobbing. With a frown, he quickly performed a Kawarimi no Jutsu, swapping Inari's mother with a piece of wood. Shoving her and Inari back inside the house, he quickly took out the hired men. They weren't ninja and didn't pose much of a threat. He tied them together and knocked them out.

*Kurenai-sensei. There were three men here; I've dealt with them. Should I join you on the bridge? I also put a barrier around the house, so Tazuna's family should be safe.* Naruto informed Kurenai.

Kurenai's reply sounded strained. *Come as soon as you can. Zabuza and his partner are here. We could use your help.*

*Right away, sensei.* Naruto knew precisely where they were thanks to his earlier Bikou no Jutsu, so he used a Shunshin no Jutsu to arrive at the bridge. Quickly taking in the situation, he saw Sasuke trapped in a zone of ice mirrors, Kurenai occupied fighting Zabuza, and Ino protecting Tazuna. It appeared as if all the other construction workers had fled.

*Sasuke! What's going on in there?* Naruto placed himself behind Ino and waited for word.

*I'm trapped in here. The girl is in the mirrors, throwing senbon. I tried to melt the mirrors, but she just reformed them again.* Sasuke's reply came in short spurts as he dodged the needles.

*Do you have a plan?* Naruto stepped slightly in front of Ino, eyes on Zabuza.

*I don't think the mirrors can be broken. I think my Sharingan is slowly catching up to her speed…but I could use a distraction.* Sasuke grudgingly admitted.

*Coming right up, Sasu dear.* Naruto teased before he performed a Shunshin right into the center of the circle of ice mirrors.

Sasuke was stuck through with quite a few senbon, but was not injured anywhere that would cause much concern. Naruto cocked his head. Something about the masked attacker seemed familiar…._It's Haku._ Realization struck Naruto and he performed a face-palm. *I've met this girl in the forest, Sasuke. She seems reluctant to hurt us. Tell her I know who she is. Her name is Haku.*

Sasuke blinked, somewhat surprised. "Naruto says he knows that you're Haku."

The masked figure in the mirrors paused. "I had wondered if he would notice. Yes, Naruto-kun. I am truly sorry for this, but I must protect my precious people at all costs. Therefore, you and your teammates must be eliminated." Haku pulled the mask to her neck and began throwing senbon again.

She was extremely fast. Several struck Naruto's shoulder before he saw her throw them. Naruto's gaze shifted to Sasuke. *What do you need me to do, teme?*

*Keep her focus off me. I'll try and accustom my eyes to her speed.* Sasuke re-activated his Sharingan, the tomoe spinning into focus.

Naruto wracked his mind for a technique that would work…..Kage Bunshin! A perfect distraction. Pulling his hands into a cross seal, forming around seven clones. He sent them to attack the mirrors, hoping to divert Haku's focus from Sasuke.

She didn't fall for it. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I don't want to hurt you, but I have no other choice." Swiftly and precisely, she threw her senbon at Sasuke. He was too busy concentrating on his Sharingan to notice. The five needles struck him directly through the heart.

Eyes wide with shock, Naruto rushed to his side and caught him as he fell, frantically checking for a pulse. There was not one. With a roar, orange chakra billowed from the blonde.

**/You DARE to harm my pack!/**The roar was not aloud, but it echoed through Haku's head nonetheless. **/You will die for your insolence!/**

Shocked, Haku met Naruto's eyes. They were blood red. She didn't even have time to think as the short blonde flashed before her eyes and ripped her throat out. Her corpse dropped to the ground.

Breathing hard, Naruto came back to himself. He stared at Haku in horror. He had just..killed her. With his bare hands. And Sasuke…Sasuke was dead.

He was frozen in time for several minutes before he snapped back to reality. Sasuke and Haku were dead. But…there was something he could do about that. Focusing, he forced chakra to his eyes and activated his dojutsu….

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><p>*Sasuke! What's going on in there?* he felt himself saying through the seal. He stood outside the dome again, and adrenaline from the previous fight was still pumping through his veins. He didn't even focus on Sasuke's reply. Instead, he turned his attention inward. <strong>Kyuubi! We need to stop this fight NOW before what happens before happens again! What is the quickest way to win this fight without killing Haku or Zabuza?/**

The great demon fox simply snorted. /**Such an idealist, kit. Use my chakra to destroy the mirrors. Make sure your pack mate isn't harmed. And wait. The slimy slug called Gatou is coming, and things will change as soon as he arrives./**

Naruto sighed in relief at hearing that. **/Lend me your chakra, Kurou?/**

**/That's the deal./** The Nine-Tails went silent.

A bubbling demonic chakra surrounded Naruto for the second time that day. Though, for Ino and Sasuke, this was the first time. With a feral grin Naruto tore into the mirrors, melting them away with the bubbling poisonous chakra.

Haku jumped clear of the mirrors, shocked at the evil-feeling chakra. Her chakra was running low…this did not look good for her.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in amazement. His blonde hair stood on end as the destructive chakra billowed around him. A single tail lashed back and forth behind him. His canines were elongated and his nails were practically claws. This…this was the power of the Kyuubi?

Ino stared, shocked. _This is __**Naruto's**__ chakra? _She shivered. Something was wrong. His chakra was normally so warm. But this chakra was positively evil.

*Sasu…my chakra reserves are…too..low. Don't kill…Haku.* he collapsed, the chakra receding back inside him.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in confusion. What was going on? Naruto's motionless form seemed to shift before his eyes. Something wasn't right. A strange pain suddenly blossomed in his chest. Looking down, he saw his shirt was bloodstained right over his heart. Frowning, he prodded the spot. There was no wound, and yet his shirt was bloody. No, something was very wrong.

Gatou chose that moment to show up. He began taunting Zabuza and Kurenai.

Sasuke and Haku exchanged confused looks. What the heck was going on?

"You knew Naruto?" Sasuke finally said, for lack of something else.

Haku nodded. "We met in the woods. I didn't really want to hurt him…or any of you. But I must protect my precious people, or else I am worth nothing." She gave Sasuke a soft smile and walked over to Zabuza's side.

The fight between ninja was over as Kurenai, Haku, and Zabuza faced Gatou and his army of hired men.

Sasuke was still in a state of shock. The air grew heavier and heavier. Glancing upwards, Sasuke grew even more worried. The sky was a sickly shade of yellowish grey…and it was completely unnatural.

A cloud of hazy mist surrounded Naruto, obscuring him from his teammate's sight. Sasuke rushed towards him….

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and he glanced around in puzzlement. Where was he? This wasn't his mind-scape. He was shocked with a small sound of surprise came from his mouth. Wherever he was…he could speak.

"**Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze." **A deep, guttural voice sounded from the depths of the blackness. **"You have broken the covenant."**

Naruto stumbled to his feet. Wha? "I know of no covenant." He said clearly. He was content that he could speak again, though somehow he knew that it was only temporary.

"**It is of no consequence to us what you know or do not know. The covenant was broken. The price must be paid." **The voice responded.

Naruto didn't like the sound of that. "Who are you? What is this price you're talking about?"

"**The price will be paid. Return to your time, mortal. If you reverse time to save a life that has already been extinguished again, you will die." **

The pitch black world faded, and Naruto felt someone shaking him…..

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><p>"Naruto! What's going on?" Sasuke was above him, looking pale and scared.<p>

Naruto clutched his head in sudden pain. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Great…..back to silence. The thought had barely registered in his brain before he shoved Sasuke away, feeling an impending sense of danger.*Get back! Help Kurenai-sensei!* A powerful swirling vortex of wind formed around Naruto. Was this the price the voice was talking about? Naruto didn't know, but something was happening.

He was so absorbed in the pain, he didn't notice as Gatou was killed, and his men fled. He didn't register the fact that Kurenai, Haku, and Zabuza had fought side by side, as allies. He didn't even know that a fight had taken place.

The splitting pain in Naruto's head doubled, and his breaths came short and fast. _Ow…_ Sasuke and Ino stared frozen at the maelstrom surrounding Naruto. Time seemed to stop. A powerful flare of unknown chakra spiked, purple in color; another joined it that was white. When the winds died down, Naruto was on the ground again. Three other motionless forms surrounded him.

Ino and Sasuke rushed to check on him, and then the other three. All were breathing, but unconscious.

All eyes were on Naruto and the three people surrounding his limp form.

"Kurenai-sensei! Something's wrong!" Ino reported, rather uselessly.

Zabuza blinked. "Thanks for your help with that, woman, but this has nothing to do with us. Haku-" he broke off as the girl rushed towards Naruto. "Well, so much for that." He turned to Kurenai. "Haku has medical experience. He might be able to find out what's with the blonde brat."

Kurenai had no idea what to do. "Whatever help you can offer, we'd be grateful for. Konoha will no doubt reward you for your troubles."

Zabuza seemed pleased. "Excellent. Take as long as you need, Haku."

Ino and Sasuke moved aside as Haku knelt to examine Naruto. "His chakra is almost depleted. Does he have low chakra reserves?"

Kurenai frowned and shook her head. "He has the highest reserves I've ever seen in anyone his age. I don't know that he's ever had chakra exhaustion. I didn't feel any flares of chakra high enough to wipe out his reserves." She ran several scenarios before her head before she remembered his kekkei genkai. _Something must have happened that caused him to turn back time over and over again until he got it right._ "I know what the problem is." She announced, seemingly out of the blue. "He has a kekkei genkai. He probably used it over and over again to keep us from getting hurt."

Haku and Zabuza exchanged wide-eyed looks. A kekkei genkai that had prediction powers and was not the Sharingan? Neither had ever heard of such a thing.

"What about the random people?" Ino wanted to know, gesturing to the three people around Naruto.

Everyone sweat-dropped. They had almost forgotten about the random strangers. "I have no idea." Kurenai stated, quite honestly. "This didn't happen when he used the kekkei genkai before."

Haku frowned slightly. "Well, I can give him some soldier pills. They should boost his energy and chakra levels enough for him to be able to return to Konoha." She did just that as she spoke. Almost as soon as the pill had been swallowed, Naruto bolted upright, nearly colliding with Haku.

*Hey, I need you to speak to Haku for me, Sasuke.* Naruto sent quickly before continuing, *I think that Zabuza and Haku should join a hidden village as soon as possible. Tell her that if she doesn't, they'll both die soon. I have no ill intentions towards them, and I'm only saying this because they helped me.*

Sasuke repeated Naruto's words.

Haku stared at the blonde. "Is this the truth?"

Naruto simply nodded. His gaze slid to Zabuza. He continued feeding his words through Sasuke. *This is the only warning you will have. Stay away from Akatsuki and join a remote village. Otherwise, you won't be safe. And Haku…keep the Four-Tails a secret.*

All of the people present were surprised at Naruto/Sasuke's words, including Sasuke himself. Haku was a Jinchuuriki?

Haku paled considerably. She had used none of the power from the Four-Tails, which meant that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki himself. "Which one?"

Sasuke didn't even need Naruto to respond to that. "The Nine-Tails."

If Haku had been pale before, now she was colorless. "I thank you for your warning, Naruto-kun. I will do as you have said."

Zabuza shook his head in grudging admiration. "Thanks for the warning, kid. If we ever meet again, I'd be happy to help you. Forget what I said before. You're a true ninja."

Haku and Zabuza left after Zabuza had finished his little speech.

Ino was becoming irritated at being ignored. "Okay, hello? Are you guys still forgetting about the three random strangers that just appeared in the middle of Naruto's little vortex?"

Abruptly, Naruto knew. *I know who they are. They're here because I destroyed the timelines they lived in.* He looked down at the three strangers.

The first was clearly older than Naruto was. Probably around the age of 21, the man had fiery red hair that spiked in all directions. Seals covered the skin that was visible like tattoos, and his ears were pierced. Naruto pointed to him. *That's Natsu Namikaze. He's 22. In his dimension, he was the container of the Kyuubi. He left Konoha when he was 13 and joined Akatsuki. He became the apprentice of Uchiha Itachi. Through the instruction of Itachi, he fully merged with the Kyuubi.*

Sasuke's face stilled completely at the mention of that name. A burning rage built in him, but he said nothing.

Naruto continued, *The blonde is Naruko Uzumaki. She's the same as me, as far as her life went. She is the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki She's 17. She's a Chuunin and was an ANBU. She never was a member of a Genin team but was instead tutored under Mitarashi Anko.*

*The last one is a civilian, Narue Namikaze. She is 11 years old and does not have the Kyuubi sealed in her. In her timeline, the Yondaime Hokage sealed the Kyuubi into a dying baby.* The small girl had white-blonde hair and looked frail. She wore glasses.

Drawing in a deep breath, Naruto finished, *In other words, they are all alternate version of myself from timelines I destroyed. And because I know you're wondering, Kurenai-sensei, the reason I kept using my kekkei genkai repeatedly was because…I saw each of you die in front of my eyes over eleven times.*

All of Team 8 stared at Naruto in absolute alarm. He didn't meet their eyes. *I couldn't let that happen, so I broke a rule. I have to pay the price…And these three are part of it. They're my responsibility.* He gave them all a solemn look. *If I ever try this again, I'll die. So please don't put yourselves in such danger.*

Ino was taken aback. He hadn't said that he wouldn't do it again…he'd just said to be more careful. Was he actually saying he'd exchange his life with any of theirs? "Naruto….." Ino sighed. "Keeping us alive isn't your responsibility. If we had died, it wouldn't be your fault."

Naruto snorted disbelievingly. *You go tell the village council that. If I returned without my team, I would be exiled. They would all think I killed you.*

Ino had deduced from the conversation that Naruto had some sort of connection with the Kyuubi, but she wanted to hear it from Naruto. "What's that supposed to mean?"

*The Kyuubi is sealed inside of me, Ino.* Naruto said simply. A small smile spread across his face when he saw Natsu was beginning to wake up. *Would you explain the situation, Ino?*

Natsu's eyes snapped open. They were a vivid violet color. When his eyes settled on Naruto, he frowned. "Genjutsu?" he muttered to himself.

Ino shook her head. "Naruto is mute. He has a kekkei genkai that messes with the space time continuum. He accidentally destroyed your dimension when he brought us back to life."

Natsu shot her a dubious look. "Yeah right kid. Kai!" he attempted to release a Genjutsu.

*Ino. Ask him if I can draw a communication seal on him. Then I can tell him what's going on.* Naruto's eyes were unreadable.

Ino sighed. "Naruto wants to draw a seal on your shoulder so he can communicate with you. We all have one." She showed him the seal.

Natsu glanced over the seal quickly. "If he draws it just like that, it's fine." Turning to Naruto, he added, "I know seals, kid. If you screw around with this one, I'll end you."

Naruto nodded once and pulled his ink and brushes from the scroll again. Completing Natsu's seal quickly, he also drew it on Naruko and Narue before they woke up. It would be easier that way. Turning back to Natsu, he began, *Hey, I'm Naruto.* He stepped towards Natsu, meeting his eyes. *Obviously you didn't believe what I had Ino say to you. But it's the truth. I'm not really sure how to prove it to you…other than the fact that I look exactly like you did before you merged with the Kyuubi. And there's also two other version of us.* He gestured towards Naruko and Narue. *I'm already paying a price for all this, so if you're angry I hope you keep it to yourself. I did what I had to do keep my team alive.*

Natsu was silent for a long while before replying. "Look, kid. If I believed something so farfetched on a whim, I'd be dead by now. It's nothing against you personally. I'm just not a very trusting person. I know this isn't a Genjutsu, so I'll just follow along…for now. But I won't hesitate to take action if there's anything out of order."

Naruto simply nodded in reply, his eyes hooded. *Kurenai-sensei? I think it's about time we headed back to Konoha. I need to speak to the Sandaime."

Natsu raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Geezer's still alive?"

Naruto suppressed an annoyed frown. *I'm ten years younger than you are, Natsu. The Chuunin Exams are just coming up here.*

Natsu laughed sardonically. "Well, that's a new one. Like I said, I'll play along…for now. I assume the old fur ball is still sealed with you?"

*That's right.* Naruto turned away and scooped Narue onto his back. *Could you get Naruko? We really should get moving.*

Natsu shrugged and hefted the girl onto his back. *Wait…..so that means we're in Wave? Zabuza was here?* he grinned slightly.

*Yeah. Thanks to my time intervention, they're both still alive. Probably going to join Rock or Cloud.* he smiled a soft smile. *I might even see Haku in the Chuunin Exams.*

Natsu chuckled. "Well, you certainly seem to be a version of me. So this is your team, eh? Very different from mine."

Sasuke was intrigued by Natsu. "Who was on your team?"

Natsu looked startled for a moment when his eyes rested on Sasuke. "Is that Sasuke? God, I honestly don't remember him ever being that young. This is too weird."

Sasuke growled. He didn't like being referred to in such a condescending manner.

Shaking his head, Natsu answered Sasuke's question with a faint smile, "My team was Kakashi, Kiba, and Sakura. A few months after the Chuunin Exam I left the village, though."

Sasuke's eyes grew frosty as he remembered what Naruto had said earlier. "And you were mentored by my brother?"

Natsu smirked slightly. "That's right, Itachi was my teacher. But I think that when you finally meet him, you'll find that he isn't the real villain here, Sasuke. Itachi was the only person I would trust with my life."

Sasuke's eyes were murderous as he glared at Natsu.

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "All right, let's head back to Konoha. Sasuke, Ino, you two will keep your comments to yourself about Natsu, Naruko, and Narue. This is a very delicate situation, and you two need to keep your heads."

Naruto sighed. He'd had no idea his dojutsu had consequences like this. _I hate to sound like Shikamaru…but this is troublesome._

Team 8 and Natsu trekked back towards Konoha, and an uncertain future.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: -gasp- -wheeze- MAAN! You have noo idea how long that took to write. Over 5000 words, man! My longest chapter yet. I hope you guys are pleased. X) PLOT TWIST! **

**Yeah, I honestly want to know if any of you were expecting that. Ehem. I also want to apologize for how lame I made Zabuza. However, I don't really need to focus on him, so yeah. I kinda didn't. *sheepish grin* I think I shall like writing about Natsu greatly. What do you guys think of him so far?**

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><p><strong>Bikou no Jutsu : <strong>Tailing Technique or Nose of a Dog Technique (tracking jutsu)

**Kawarimi no Jutsu: **Body Replacement Technique (Substitution jutsu)

**Shunshin: **Body Flicker Technique (teleportation jutsu)

**Senbon**: needles


	16. Chapter 15: Return to Konoha

{{Always putting up a tough front, you never let out your tears  
>Even though in truth you're afraid<br>Not to lose those precious to you  
>You've made it this far, running desperately<p>

You were baffled into dancing to their tune  
>By the deceptive words someone muttered<br>Even though you already knew it deep in your heart  
>That which is precious to you<p>

~Lovers by 7}}

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><p><strong>AN: Nothing to report here! Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Return to Konoha<strong>

The walk was a long one, especially with his fatigue from the fight and the additional burden of carrying someone on his back. Needless to say, Naruto was exhausted by the time they'd reached Konoha. He didn't complain, though. It had been his choice to use his dojutsu as he had, and he wouldn't regret it.

Natsu seemed to be uneasy around Ino and Sasuke, and stuck close to Naruto's side. There wasn't much conversation on the way back. They were all tired and confused. It had been a long mission.

Neither Naruko nor Narue had stirred yet, but it was only a matter of time. Naruto hoped they could get through the mission briefing so he could explain everything in private. It was awkward with his team around; he still hadn't told them everything about Kyuubi and he wasn't planning to.

Naruto decided then that he would need to modify the seals his teammates all had; it was irritating to be unable to talk privately with Natsu. He didn't want to have to deal with something like this in the future.

The gates of Konoha finally came within seeing distance, and Naruto released a sigh of relief. He needed to study his family's scrolls very closely in order to not make such massive mistakes in the future. It would be the first thing he did when he got some time to himself. He was especially curious about the scroll he'd found addressed to himself in the Namikaze library.

He pushed his thoughts aside as they came upon the Hokage Tower. Kurenai gave them all a weary smile. "Ino, Sasuke, you two can head home if you like. I'm sure you're tired. Naruto, Natsu, you'll need to come with me. We need to sort out your….situation. I'll try to make it as quick as possible." She didn't mention how exhausted Naruto looked, but he could tell she was thinking it by the concern on her face.

Ino and Sasuke were too weary to protest, and went their separate ways. Naruto let loose a long breath. [Right, sensei. Let's get this over with.]

Natsu remained silent. He was hoping he'd be able to talk with Naruto right away, but he knew protocol better than most. It was one of the things he disliked about ninja villages. Akatsuki didn't have to worry about paperwork and reports, as long as they got the job done.

The Sandaime looked up at their arrival. Natsu's brows shot skywards. The kid hadn't been lying…the Third really was still the Hokage here.

Natsu and Naruto sat Naruko and Narue against the wall, and turned to face the Hokage.

Kurenai began reporting the success of their mission, but they could all tell the Sandaime was wondering why Natsu and the two unconscious girls were here. Kurenai finished her mission report and looked to Naruto.

The blonde sighed wearily. [I assume you knew of my father's kekkei genkai, jii-san.] At the old man's solemn nod, Naruto continued, [Well, I've activated it as well. During the fight with Zabuza, I used it repeatedly to keep my team from dying. I've warped the timelines, and three alternate versions of myself are now in this world. They should've died, and I assume it was due to the Kyuubi's power that they were brought here. I will take full responsibility for them, as far as accommodations. However, the ultimate decision of what they do lies with you, of course.]

Sarutobi Hiruzen was not easily surprised. But this, this was truly surprising. Who knew Naruto would develop his father's bloodline limit? It was truly interesting. He was a little more surprised by the fact that Naruto hadn't informed him of this. Most likely he'd only recently activated it and hadn't thought it was significant. He blew out a puff of smoke. As he gathered his thoughts, he asked a random question, "Are we to refer to these versions of you by all the same name? Four Naruto's would be rather chaotic."

Naruto gave the man an odd look. It was hardly relevant at the time, and he was unsure why the Hokage would bring it up. [We all have different circumstances and personalities, jii-san. It only makes sense that our names are different, as well.] He quickly introduced Natsu, Naruko, and Narue, still confused.

The Hokage let out a soft chuckle. "Very well. I will think upon my decision. Please come see me again tomorrow. I'm sure Naruko and Narue would like to have a say in their positions, as well. For now, it would be best if you recovered from your mission. I have the key and directions for your new apartment." He gave Naruto a kind smile. "You did well, Naruto. I'm proud of you."

Those four words caused a warm glow of pride to fill Naruto. With a smile in return, he bowed slightly. "Hokage-sama." He responded gratefully.

Natsu leaned against the wall, watching dispassionately. "Before I leave, old man, I should probably inform you that in my time, I was an S-class nuke-nin." He gave the Hokage a lazy tomcat smile. "I have nothing against this Konoha, so I wouldn't be too worried though. I'm only telling you this so you don't get mad at me later." Pushing himself up from the wall, he switched his gaze to Naruto. "Ready to go, kid?"

Naruto blinked. "Sure." They scooped up Naruko and Narue. As they left, Naruto sent the Sandaime an apologetic look.

The Sandaime exhaled another cloud of smoke. "The next time you come in for a mission, I will give you your A-rank mission pay, Kurenai. For now, I think it is best that you rest up as well." Kurenai gave him a respectful bow before she Body Flickered away.

The Hokage shook his head tiredly. "Naruto…What am I going to do with you…."

* * *

><p>Naruto and Natsu returned to Naruto's apartment, depositing Narue on Naruto's bed and Naruko on the couch. "Guess we get the floor," Natsu chuckled.<p>

Naruto sighed. He pulled a notepad from his weapon's pouch. {I figured you'd want to talk first.} he scribbled.

Natsu squinted at the writing, trying to make out what it said. "Yeah, I suppose I want to talk eventually. But if we talk now, you'll just have to repeat it for Naruko and Narue. I figured I'd save you the trouble. Get some sleep, kid. You look dead on your feet. I'll hold down the fort until you wake up."

Naruto didn't even bother to reply. Striding to his closet, he pulled out a futon, a blanket, and a pillow. Tossing them on the floor and curling up, he promptly went to sleep.

He felt himself being shaken awake. Rubbing the grit from his eyes, Naruto sat up. Natsu knelt beside him. "Naruko and Narue are both awake now. I think we'd all like an explanation."

Naruto pulled out his handy dandy notepad again. {Let me modify the seals first; I don't want my team hearing all of this.}

Natsu relayed the message to Narue and Naruko, explaining that Naruto was mute. Naruto quickly modified the seals. *There, now we can speak freely.*

*YOU IDIOT!* The voice came roaring into all of their skulls.

Naruto winced. *Not so much chakra, Naruko!*

*Oh, sorry.* the volume level dropped considerably. *But really, I'm angry with you. Although you're me, in a way. I guess. But yeah, I'm mad. I know you couldn't help it, but I'm mad.* Naruko rambled.

*I understand.* Naruto sighed. *But I didn't have any other options left at the time. And I had no idea of the consequences. My father isn't exactly here to tell me all about his kekkei genkai, you know.*

Narue's soft voice came through, barely audible, *Why is Dad not here to tell you? Is he on some distant mission?*

Naruto blinked incredulously before he realized that in Narue's time, the Yondaime was still alive. *He died here instead of the Sandaime. He sealed Kyuubi into me.*

Narue's eyes grew teary. *That's horrible!*

Naruko butted in. *What, what's the other chick talking about?*

Naruto seemed to wilt slightly. *Both of you be quiet and I'll explain.* He sent Natsu a grateful look for holding his tongue….so to speak. *All of us had different events take place. Naruko, ours is pretty similar. Except I haven't received training from the ANBU, and I'm sure our teams were different. As far as the Kyuubi goes, though, we're the same. Narue, on the other hand, is a civilian. Our father, Namikaze Minato, was still alive in her world. The Sandaime sealed the Kyuubi into a dying baby, so she didn't have to deal with the Kyuubi. Minato protected her, so she was raised as a civilian instead. And Natsu, he's merged with the Kyuubi. He left the village when he was 13, and joined Akatsuki.*

Naruko couldn't keep quiet anymore. *WHAT! Akatsuki? You joined those bastards? Why would you even think about it? They killed Asuma-sensei! And Gaara, too!*

Naruto's eyes widened. Asuma was killed by the Akatsuki in Naruko's timeline? And who was this Gaara?

Natsu sighed, and finally spoke. *Look, Akatsuki never did anything wrong in my world. I took care of Madara, and we were relatively peaceful. Well, as peaceful as ninja can be. Itachi was my mentor.*

Naruko snorted. *I can't understand that, but I guess your time was different than mine. What about you, Naruto? How is this world different?*

Naruto stared at the floor. *My team is the only people I'd trust here. I've made a technique that gives the Kyuubi a physical body. He's been training me. I have a kekkei genkai, which apparently none of you has. That's all I can think of.*

His three companions took this in, relatively silent.

Naruto finally broke the silence. *The Sandaime wants to talk to us all tomorrow. He wanted Naruko and Narue to be awake before he decided anything. You'll probably be reinstated as Konoha nin, but be under watch for a while. He didn't survive this long by being reckless, after all. Well, other than Narue, that is. I'm not sure what she'll do.*

Natsu rolled his shoulders casually. "Sounds good. You should read up on your dojutsu now, Naruto. I think I'm gonna scout around a bit. I haven't been in Konoha in ages, and I want to know what's going on."

Naruto shrugged. *Suit yourself.* The redhead grinned and left the trashy apartment.

Narue blinked shyly. "U-um, if you w-would like, I could m-make dinner." She stuttered.

Naruto gave her a big grin. *That would be great, Narue!* he responded enthusiastically.

Naruko nodded her agreement. "I'm starving!" she added. "I'm sure Narue needs to buy some food, considering what I lived on. I'll go shopping with her. There are other things we girls both need to get as well." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Naruto blanched at turned away. He didn't even want to know. *Have fun.* he mumbled, turning to his father's scrolls. The girls giggled at his reaction and left. Naruto locked the door behind them. He stared at the scrolls a moment longer before opening the one that said _"To Naruto."_

_My son, Naruto: _

_There are many things I regret, and the foremost of all of those is never being able to speak to you. There are some things that every father must say to his son. There are many things I need to say to_ _you. But there is not much time, the Kyuubi has been spotted and the alarm will soon sound. I am prepared to do what I must for the village. I only pray that you will forgive me for entrusting you with such a heavy burden._

Naruto snorted. Forgive him? He smiled bitterly, wondering what his life could've been like if he hadn't been orphaned at birth and entrusted with a "heavy burden" before he could even walk. He knew his father had done what he'd thought was right, but Naruto felt there could've been another way. Hands shaking, he read on:

_I have instructed Sarutobi-san to keep many things from you. Know that I did this for your benefit alone. I have many enemies, and I did not want them to become your enemies until you were strong enough to handle them. I have named Jiraiya-sensei your Godfather, and he and Tsunade-hime will care of you in my absence. I am truly sorry that I could not be there for you, son. But I would do anything to protect the people of Konoha, especially the precious children of the next generation. It is my hope that you would do the same. I have done what I can for you. I left you the scrolls of the Namikaze dojutsu, and I believe that you will develop the bloodline. The only thing you need to know is that you must never, ever bring back the dead. I'm proud of you, Naruto. Know that you are a true hero. Understand that your mother and I both loved you with all of our hearts. I am sorry, so sorry, to leave you alone. This was not what we wanted for you, but we know that you will be strong enough to handle it. I believe in you, Naruto. Become an excellent shinobi. Always stick to your dreams, and never give up. I won't be there when you need me the most and it is something I'll never forgive myself for. Naruto…the alarm has sounded…I must go. I promise we'll meet again someday…but until then, I will always be watching over you, my precious son. I love you. _

Naruto fell back against the floor, cheeks wet with tears. _Stupid, stupid Dad. You were such an idiot. _He was angry and happy at the same time. He didn't know that he would forgive his father just yet, but…he didn't hate his dad for trying to save Konoha. He just hated it that he'd been the one to take the hatred of a whole village upon his small shoulders. His dad had too much faith in Konoha. He wouldn't make the same mistake.

Rolling the scroll back up, Naruto sealed it away into a fireproof sealing scroll. That scroll was the most priceless thing he owned, and he would take good care of it. Scrubbing the tears from his face, he stared at the ceiling blankly. He chuckled humorlessly when he remembered his father's warning concerning his kekkei genkai. _A little too late, Dad. _

He sat still for a long time, thinking upon the words his father had left for him. He was only brought out of his funk when Natsu came back in. He greeted Naruto with a brief, "Hey. Where are the girls?"

Naruto blinked. *Welcome back. They went shopping for food and…stuff. Do you need to buy anything?*

Natsu laughed and shook his head. "I carry my stuff on me at all times." He patted a few scrolls hanging from his leg fondly. "Thanks for asking, though. I think we'll get along. Seems like you've got it pretty rough here."

Naruto's face darkened slightly at the mention of his hardships. *Mm. I'm sure you did, too. We're Jinchuuriki, after all.*

"That we are." Natsu's face was serious. "You have scrolls from our father, right? Would you mind if I take a look at a few? I never learned anything past the Rasengan. I would like to."

*You have a right to them.* Naruto agreed. He pulled a few out and carefully passed them over. *Maybe you can help me learn them when you're through.*

The older man chuckled and took the scrolls. "Sure thing, kid. I have lots of things I can teach you. And who knows, you might show me a few thing as well. Where's the best place to train around here where I won't be…interrupted?"

*Forest of Death.* Naruto responded almost immediately.

Natsu burst out in a sporadic fit of laughter. "Ah, that old place. Yes, I think I'd like to visit there again. Let me know when the girls get back, I'd like to eat." With a jaunty wave, he left again.

Naruto chewed his lip. It was past time he looked at the kekkei genkai scrolls. He was dreading it, because he honestly didn't want to see how badly he screwed up. What was the price he had to pay? For destroying three other worlds, it would have to be high…

Full of trepidation, Naruto opened the scroll and began to read.

_The Rinmagan is a Namikaze dojutsu kekkei genkai, which appears in select members of the Namikaze clan. When the Rinmagan is activated, it turns the user's eyes a murky grey color, similar to the Byakugan. The eye becomes completely grey, with no pupils or iris. The Rinmagan's abilities consist of two parts. The first part is the ability to manipulate the timeline. Rinmagan users may use their chakra to literally turn back time. How far time can be turned back or forward depends on the user's chakra capacity. Usually, the dojutsu is used to correct small mistakes during a fight, or to understand the opponent's intentions. Some would say the dojutsu gives the user a glance into the future. However, even if the user knows of the opponent's intentions, their body may not always have time to react. To be proficient in this dojutsu, speed is necessary over anything else. Concerning the first ability, there is only one thing that is forbidden: the use of the dojutsu to bring the dead back to life. If the dojutsu is used for this purpose, it warps the timelines of other dimensions and can have extremely serious consequences. A price must be paid for distorting the timelines. Every price is different, but all are very heavy. If the user decides to use the dojutsu to bring back the dead a second time, they will die. _

Naruto heard Naruko and Narue come through the door and begin to start dinner. He'd tell Natsu when they were finished…Finding his place in the scroll, he continued reading….

_The second skill of the Rinmagan has two divisions: one is night vision, and the other is the ability to develop resistance to poisons. While the Rinmagan is activated, the user develops perfect night vision, or the ability to see clearly in the dark. If the Namikaze has developed the Rinmagan, they automatically gain resistance to poisons. If a Namikaze is affected by a poison once, it will never be effective again. There are many dangers to using the kekkei genkai, but it has been used for generation by the Namikaze clan to manipulate time. _

Naruto smiled. He had known all of the first part, but he was unaware about the poison resistance or the night vision. Rising from his seated position, he stretched his legs and wandered into the kitchen. *Should I call Natsu back? He wanted to eat as well.*

Naruko glanced over her shoulder at him as she supervised Narue. "Yeah, you probably should. We're almost done."

Naruto nodded and sent his chakra through the seal. *Hey, Natsu. They're almost done with the food, you should probably head back.*

*Sure thing, kid. I'll be there momentarily.* Natsu replied. He seemed distracted.

Naruto glanced down at Narue. *You have no interest in being a ninja, right, Narue?*

The younger girl smiled up at him. "No, Naruto-nii-san. I don't think I would like to be a ninja. I don't fighting."

Naruto smiled back. *I'm glad. I don't either.* The door opened and Natsu came in. "I'm back," he greeted the three in the kitchen.

"Welcome back!" Naruko bellowed, grinning widely. It wasn't something she got to say often, so she was glad for the chance.

Natsu snickered and strolled into the kitchen. "What are you making?" he questioned.

"Omelette rice!" Naruko told him cheerfully.

"Yum." Natsu grinned. His face settled into a look of contentment as he took a seat at Naruto's table. "It's nice, coming home to people." He added, sounding almost philosophic.

Naruko and Naruto nodded their agreement, both seeming happy.

Narue looked a little sad and didn't say anything. Compared to the other three, she suddenly felt as if her life had been extremely easy…

They all noticed at once. "What's wrong, Narue-chan?" Naruko knelt down beside the girl, seeming concerned.

Narue gave her a soft smile. "It's nothing, nee-chan. I just felt bad for all of you. My dad was still alive my whole life."

"There's no reason to feel bad, sweetie. We're all happy that you had a father. We might be a little jealous, but we wouldn't be angry with you." Naruko patted Narue on the head and stood, dishing up the food and setting it on the table.

They all sat and began eating in silence. It wasn't awkward at all, because they were all satisfied that they weren't alone. No words needed to be said. When they had finished their food, Naruko spoke up.

"This probably isn't the time for this…but Naruto, why are you mute?" Naruko was never known for her delicacy. She was curious, so she asked.

Naruto's gaze grew painfully haunted. Swallowing hard, he answered, *It was Mizuki. He's always hated me. Unlike your version, Iruka-sensei wasn't there to protect me.*

The three guests fell silent. There wasn't much else to say to that. They'd all faced different hardships, and they knew what being all alone felt like, except perhaps Narue. "I'm sorry for bringing it up." Naruko finally said.

*Don't be. It's not your fault.* Naruto glanced away, staring listlessly at the floor.

Natsu cleared his throat meaningfully. "This gloomy atmosphere doesn't suit us." He commented, cracking a small smile. "Naruko, Naruto. There was something I wanted to talk about. Well, mainly Naruto. Would you rather stay on your team, or join a team with Naruko and I? You'd probably be put under my command, if the Sandaime trusts me enough."

Naruto tipped his head to the side, considering it. *I like my teammates fine. But it'd probably be for the best if I joined your team. We'd work well together, and you could teach me things I need to know. But…I'd like to wait until after the Chuunin Exams.*

Naruko smiled. She was happy to hear this. "Yay! But wouldn't we need one more person? Teams are normally three man cells plus a leader."

Natsu shrugged. "Normally, yes. They might randomly assign us a teammate, or we may just have us three. I'm not really sure what the Sandaime will do."

*There's no reason you should be.* Naruto snorted. *So let me get this straight. Naruko, you're a Chuunin, right? What about you, Natsu?*

"I'm a Chuunin." Naruko nodded enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing.

Natsu smirked. "Technically, I'm a Genin. But I'm Kage-level, I suppose. I'm probably the strongest in Konoha at the moment. And I'm not just saying that because I want to sound strong. In fact, I expect you to keep it to yourselves. I don't want many responsibilities." His violet eyes twinkled mischievously as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Naruko laughed at him. "You're a weirdo. I think we all need to make lists of things we need to do here. I know I'd like to find Anko-sensei. I miss her."

Natsu blanched. "That crazy lady? Why would you miss her?"

Naruko grinned mischievously. "She's awesome! You're like, the same age! I bet you'd get along."

Natsu paled slightly. "No thanks, Naruko. I think I'll just train on my own. I would like to make contact with Itachi, though. I really don't have anything else I need to do, other than train and prepare you guys for what's coming. I saw the most of what happened. We all need to get much stronger."

Narue watched them all in silence, feeling useless. She needed to find something she could do to help…she'd have to talk to the Hokage about it.

Naruto nodded his agreement. *You're both right, it'd be good for you to seek out your old sensei's. I need to teach Naruko the Maboroshi no Jutsu…and help out Sasuke and Ino. I think that Kurenai-sensei could help me with Genjutsu some, too. I'm assuming we all suck at it.*

Naruko also nodded vehemently. "Got that right."

Natsu chuckled. "I can get out of them, but that's about it. So yeah, it'd probably be for the best."

Naruto smiled. *Is there anything directly coming up that I need to be ready for?*

Naruko sobered. "Yeah, the Chuunin Exams are next, right? That means Orochimaru's coming."

Natsu frowned. "Then Sasuke will try to defect."

Naruto's eyes widened. *What do you mean by that?*

Natsu exchanged glances with Naruko before he continued. "The second stage of the Chuunin Exams is in the Forest of Death. Orochimaru disguised himself as a Genin and gave Sasuke a Curse Seal. The snake told Sasuke that he could get power, and the stupid Uchiha was too stupid to realize Orochimaru wanted to possess him. He tried to leave Konoha…..and I fought with him."

Naruko nodded. "The same happened for me. I lost, and he went to Sound."

Natsu felt a slow grin creeping on his face. "Well, not quite the same, apparently. I beat him and dragged him back to Konoha. He hated me after that. I had to leave then, because the council was going to kill me for hurting the precious Uchiha." He rolled his eyes. He was still a little bitter over that.

Naruko looked angry. "That's retarded. You did what your mission commander ordered you too, and they get mad and try to kill you because of _that?_"

"I thought the same thing, but they tried to execute me since I used Kyuubi's chakra against the precious Uchiha. I didn't really want to die. I would have if Asuma hadn't helped me…" Natsu trailed off.

Naruto sighed. It seemed a lot of trouble would come to him in the future. *So basically I have to let Sasuke go to Sound if I want to stay in Konoha? That sucks.*

Naruko nodded. "It seems that way. Stupid Uchiha." She couldn't resist kicking Naruto's counter. He sent her a warning glance, and she grinned sheepishly in apology.

Narue drifted into a back room, leaving them to their discussion. She felt a little left out, but she didn't want to bother the others.

"There's something else that's important that you didn't mention, Natsu. Kabuto." Naruko said wisely.

"Oh, that's right. I totally forgot about that creep." Natsu blinked, surprised.

*Who's Kabuto?* Naruto felt like he was having an information overload today.

"He's snake man's right hand man. He's in the Chuunin Exams, as well. He'll come up to you and blab about information cards. He's creepy; nobody looks that normal. You'll know him right away. I'd stay away from him as much as possible." Natsu explained.

"Ooh, and Gaara! You can't forget about Gaara!" Naruko grinned widely.

*You mentioned that person earlier. Who's Gaara?* Naruto sighed.

"Gaara is the Kazekage's son. He comes to Konoha for the Chuunin Exams. He's a Jinchuuriki, like us. He's the Ichibi Jinchuuriki, in fact. Umm, he's just a liiiiittle bit psychotic…but we fix that, and show him that fighting for precious people is what makes a person truly strong. He's our friend, and later on he becomes the Kazekage." Naruko looked proud at her little speech.

*How will I know him?* Naruto wanted to know.

"He's real easy to spot. He's got red hair, teal eyes, and a red love tattoo on his forehead. He'll say a bunch of freaky things, but you shouldn't be scared of him. He's just a big, misguided softie." Naruko laughed.

Natsu snorted inelegantly. "This, coming from the person who likes Anko? Trust me, Naruto. It's a bit more challenging than that. I'm sure you can take it, though. You seem like a tough little dude."

Naruto rolled his eyes. *Yeah, sure.* he was just a bit annoyed at being called a 'little dude'. *Back to the forming a new team thing. If we have any say in who joins our team, who would you like? We could take Ino, if Sasuke won't be here. She won't have a team.*

Natsu frowned slightly. "I'm not very fond of Ino. Besides, I think after Sasuke leaves, both her and Sakura train as medic nin. They might be withdrawn from their teams completely. Hmm. I would say, Shikamaru or Shino. They both become Chuunin, so they'll need new teams."

Naruko scowled. "Wait, Shino became a Chuunin? It was just Shika for me."

Natsu shrugged. "Well, Shino and Shikamaru both became Chuunin where I came from. Temari did, too."

Naruto rolled his eyes again. *Is it really relevant? Honestly. So you said Shikamaru or Shino if we have a choice?*

Naruko looked pensive for a moment. "Fine with me. I'd prefer Shika. Shino's kinda creepy."

Natsu laughed. "He's a strange one, for sure. He's very dependable, though. And not nearly as lazy as Shikamaru. Aburame are the most loyal people I know."

Naruko cocked her head sideways. "There are a few more things Naruto can prevent, as well. Lee and Hinata were both badly injured in the preliminary fights. I think you could keep that from happening."

Naruto nodded his assent. *I'll do my best.* he replied, seeming a little nervous at everything that was riding on his shoulders. Rising, he lifted the dishes from the table and carried them to the sink, beginning to wash them. Naruko wandered off to check on Narue.

Natsu appeared at his shoulder, and Naruto looked up, startled. "Here, I'll dry." Natsu offered.

Giving him a grateful smile, Naruto handed him the dishes he had washed. It didn't take long to clean them all and put them away.

Naruto glanced the clock and realized it was getting late. _I'll have to head to Kurenai-sensei's and borrow a futon. I only have one. _"I need to head out for a bit." Naruto found himself saying.

Natsu shrugged. "All right. I'll hold down the fort."

Naruto closed the door behind him as he left the apartment. It was better than his last one by far, but it didn't feel like home yet. Walking down the stairs, he headed towards the street, hyper vigilant. The last time he'd wandered around alone, he'd gotten his throat cut.

He went quickly to Kurenai's house. She seemed surprised to see him when he knocked on her door. "Hey, Naruto. What brings you here this late?"

[Do you have an extra futon I could borrow? I found myself a bed short tonight.] Naruto rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Sure, Naruto. Is everything okay? This is a big change for you." Kurenai disappeared to fetch the futon, inviting Naruto inside to wait.

[Everything's fine.] he reassured her. She pulled the futon towards the door, and he sealed it into a scroll. For once, he actually felt the drain on his chakra. Shaking his head tiredly, he signed, [Thanks, sensei. Is our team meeting tomorrow?]

Kurenai blinked. "No, the Chuunin Exam is in two days. You should take one more day to rest up and recover your chakra."

[All right, sensei. Thanks for the futon.] Naruto waved and returned to his apartment.

When he got back, Naruko was sprawled across the couch, snoring. The door to his bedroom was closed, indicating that Narue was also sleeping. Natsu looked up when Naruto came in. "Hey, kid." He greeted.

Naruto pulled out the scroll and unsealed Kurenai's spare futon. *Here, I brought this from Kurenai-sensei's.*

Natsu chuckled. "That's handy. Goodnight, I guess."

*Goodnight.* Naruto trudged to the futon he'd slept on earlier and went to sleep.

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><p><strong>Rinmagan- Wheels of Time Eye<strong>


	17. Chapter 16: Solutions

{{Never reaching what I want to reach  
>Never being who I want to be<br>Blaming me when I fall and fail  
>All my dreams splintering<br>Under my fingernails

~Fingernails by Skillet }}

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you all for reading, as always. I hope you like the chapter, even if it is a little shorter than the ones I've posted lately. Oh, and if you think Narue seems a little **_**too **_**young and naïve, just remember that she grew up as a civilian with a doting father. She should be naïve. Please read and review as always. I'm really not trying to drag this out, but things I have to address keep popping up. I'm trying to get to the Exams as soon as possible, I promise! Also, is there anything I've mentioned or hinted at and haven't quite explained, other than Kurenai's kekkai genkai? The more I write the more I forget. If there's something I forgot to cover, please let me know. –awkward laugh- That is all!**

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><p>Chapter 16: Solutions<p>

Naruto slipped from his futon early in the morning, as was his habit. Being careful not to wake the others, he quickly scribbled down a note in case any of them was an early riser and headed out to meet Ino, Lee and Gai for training.

After his normal training routine with the three, he headed back to his new apartment. It was still pretty early in the morning, and he didn't really expect anyone to be up.

When he opened the door and stepped inside, Natsu greeted him with a nod from the kitchen. "Mornin." He drawled quietly, with a lazy smile.

Naruto smiled back. Then again, two of his house guests were experienced ninja. They were accustomed to rising early. *Good morning. Are Naruko and Narue are still sleeping?*

"Narue is. Naruko went out for a bite. Said something about craving sushi." Natsu was sipping from a mug, and from the smell it was tea of some sort. "Chuunin Exams are tomorrow, right?"

Naruto blinked at the sudden subject change. *Yeah, that's right. Why do you ask?*

Natsu smirked. "Just curious, yeah?" He replied, a little too innocently. He stretched lethargically and stood up. "Want to head out with me for a bit, otouto?"

Naruto's face betrayed his obvious surprise. He didn't protest the title, though. *Sure…*

With a faint smile, Natsu drained the rest of the mug and rinsed it out, setting it to the side. "Good then." Leaving the kitchen, the redhead strolled towards the door, beckoning Naruto to follow.

Naruto did as he was bid, intrigued. *Where are we going?* he asked the older man.

Natsu simply smiled mysteriously. "Nowhere in particular."

Naruto rolled his eyes and fell silent as Natsu led him through the streets. Not many people were out yet, but the sun was high in the sky.

Natsu finally spoke. "I was furious with you, at first." He watched Naruto's face as he said it. The blonde cringed slightly. "I even considered killing you then and there. But I think we'll be able to get along. I wasn't very fond of my life, in the first place. Maybe things will be different here." Placing his hands behind his head and glancing upwards, he continued, "Naruko will be different. She had friends and precious people. She's acting as if she's fine, but all of us always have. It's pretty easy to read."

Natsu shook his head, bemused. "The more I thought about it, the less I blamed you. Any of us would have done the same thing in your place. To let your whole team die when you could save them…..it's just not plausible. I was never illogical. It's what kept me apart from other people. I know hopes and dreams were an illusion; something that would pass away with time. I was always different from them. You and me…we're a lot alike." With a soft smile, the man continued, "It's why I feel like I can relate to you. And there are things that I can tell you that will help you not to make the same mistakes I did. I don't want you to follow the path that I did…the path where everyone betrays you. It's a lonely way to live."

Staring into the distance, he kept talking. "The lives of the Jinchuuriki are all like that. It's why I can't quite be mad at you. By bringing us here, you gave us other people who know what it's like to be the one sacrificed by someone else's choice. But I know things that none of you have learned yet. I've lived through the tides of war, and seen more than someone my age shouldn't have to." He looked to Naruto, and the younger stared. In the violet gaze, there was an ancient being, with haunted eyes.

"Because of what I've seen and what I know, all I can do now is try my best to keep you three safe. I will do my best to shield you from the things you aren't ready for, since I know how agonizing it is more than anyone. It's too late for me, but I have a chance now to keep you from going through what I did."

Naruto wasn't even sure that Natsu was speaking to him anymore. But he kept listening, because it seemed like this was something the dude needed to get off his chest.

The faraway look finally disappeared from the redhead's eyes, and his gaze turned sharply towards Naruto. "It's time we headed back. We're supposed to meet the old geezer in a while. I'd appreciate it if you did the talking. I don't care for most of the Konoha people, even if they aren't exactly the same ones I knew. Asuma is really the only one I'm fond of."

Naruto nodded, and the two walked back to the apartment in companionable silence. Naruto was reflecting on what had been said, and Natsu still seemed a bit spacey.

Naruko greeted them as they entered the room. "Welcome back." Naruto felt a smile tugging on his lips as he saw Narue sitting at the table, hair mussed and blinking sleepily. He slipped into the seat across from her. *Did you sleep well?*

Narue blinked at him. "Mhm, 'Ruto." She replied drowsily.

Naruto ruffled her hair fondly. *I'm glad.*

Naruko and Natsu watched them silently.

Clearing her throat, Naruko glided over to the table. "I brought back sushi for everyone, if you guys want any." She seemed unsure of herself, for once.

Narue gave her a sweet smile. "Thank you, nee-chan." She began to eat.

Naruko smiled back, superior again. "You're welcome, sweetie."

Natsu seemed uncomfortable at the sudden 'family' vibe. "Thanks for the food," he mumbled, before seating himself to Naruto's left. Naruko sat across from Natsu. They all dug in, preparing for a hard day.

"Are we going to see the Hokage now?" Narue wanted to know after they were done.

Naruko nodded. "Yeah, that's right. Have you decided what you want to do?"

Naruto and Natsu drifted away from the table, both a little uncomfortable.

Narue bobbed her head excitedly. "Yeah, I'll paint! I did it before, some. Dad told me I was really good at it." Her bright mood faded slightly at the mention of her father, and she decided she wouldn't mention him anymore. It seemed to make her new friends sad.

Naruko smiled, but it seemed pained. "That's good then." She tried to say cheerfully. She turned her face away, towards Natsu and Naruto. "Are you two ready?"

They both nodded, sobered at the mention of the Yondaime. Neither had much love for the man.

Naruto reached towards the hooks by the door and picked up a scarf. He wrapped it around his neck, concealing the scars from view. Natsu's eyes narrowed in anger, but it wasn't directed at Naruto. With a grim smile, he followed the mute blonde out the door. Naruko and Narue followed the boys.

The Hokage greeted them as they walked in. "I'm glad to see you all. Did everything go all right last night?"

Naruko tossed her hair over her shoulders and answered, "It was fine. What have you decided?" Straight to the point, as usual.

The Hokage chortled. A straightforward version of Naruto was strange to him. After all, Naruto rarely said what he was actually thinking. "What is it you would all like to happen?"

Naruko tapped her foot impatiently. "Natsu is more than qualified to be a team leader. After the Chuunin Exams, Naruto and I would like to be placed on a team with him. A three man cell would be best, but if you must have four, we can discuss that after the Exams."

The Sandaime's brows shot up. Different personalities, indeed. Was this girl ordering him around? He was more amused than insulted, though.

Natsu held back a smirk. "This is fine with me. If you'd like, you could test my skills."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Natsu hadn't been here even a day and already he was looking for a fight.

The Hokage laughed. "I won't do so personally, but an assessment must be done, yes. Perhaps Kakashi would."

Natsu's gaze grew cold. "I would prefer Asuma." He said shortly.

The Sandaime frowned confused. "I suppose that's acceptable, as well. I will inform him of this, and you two can meet tomorrow. What of you, Narue?" he turned his attention to the youngest member of the group.

The girl blinked at him bashfully. "I only wish to paint, Hokage-sama. I am not a ninja. I will help you however I can, though. Perhaps I can become a nurse?"

The old man smiled gently at her. "The life of a ninja is not for everyone. I am glad that you recognize this. You will be enrolled in civilian school. I hope you make lots of friends. I will see what I can arrange with the hospital staff. Would you prefer to stay with Naruto, or…?" he trailed off, leaving her options open.

"I will stay with Naruto-nii, if he will have me." The girl hunched her shoulders slightly and looked up at Naruto.

He grinned back. *Gladly.* She smiled.

"What of you, Naruto? You've been awfully quiet." Hiruzen Sarutobi was a very observant man, after all.

The blonde shrugged. [I've got a lot on my mind, jii-san. I'm thankful for you helping them out. As Naruko said, it would be best if I was placed on a team with them.] he paused, as if making a decision. [And jii-san, both Naruko and Natsu's Konoha was invaded during the Chuunin Exams by Orochimaru. We all need to be prepared, if that's the case. I believe Sand was allied with them at the time.]

The Hokage's eyes widened and he choked on abruptly inhaled smoke. Regaining his composure after a fit of coughing, he said simply, "Thank you for the information. You may go for now, all of you." As if realizing he had been a little hasty, he added, "Unless there is anything else I can do for you?"

Naruko placed her hands on his desk and leaned towards him slightly, looking down her nose. "I'd like a hitai-ate. If there's going to be a war, Natsu and I need the Konoha nin to know which side we're on."

The old man nodded sagely. "That is acceptable." He opened a desk drawer and pulled two out, handing them over to Natsu and Naruko. "Anything else?"

Natsu took the hitai-ate with a nod. "I'd like to be enlisted in the ANBU, as soon as possible. And would it be possible for us to get another apartment next to Naruto's? The girls really shouldn't be staying with us all of the time, there isn't enough space."

The Hokage considered this. "I can get the girls an adjacent apartment. The ANBU, on the other hand, will have to wait for a while, at least until after the Chuunin Exams. But I'll see what I can do."

With a grateful smile, Natsu shrugged. "Thanks, old man." He gave a two-fingered salute and left. Naruko and Narue trailed after him after getting a key from the Sandaime. Naruto didn't leave yet, though.

[Thanks for all this, old man.] Naruto bowed respectfully before leaving. He had to meet his team soon. He assumed they were just going to discuss the Chuunin Exam. Naruto really needed to do some training, but he had to meet them first.

He glanced down at his clothes and decided he would get a different outfit before tomorrow. The scarf was a little too easy to grab, and he didn't like it. He'd need something attached to his clothing, maybe a high collar. He was the first of his team to show up. Sitting down cross-legged on the grass, he concentrated. **./Kurou?/**

The grumbling reply, **/ Yes, Naruto? /**

**/What do you think would be the best use of my training time before the Exams tomorrow? I feel as if I've overlooked something. /** Naruto sighed.

The demon fox chuckled. **/That's because you have. I believe you have good enough Taijutsu and Ninjutsu skills. Your grasp of strategy is acceptable. You have two things you should be working on, though: Genjutsu and information gathering. /**

Naruto smiled. **/Thanks, Kurou. /** He replied, severing the connection. Closing his eyes, he focused his senses on the surrounding area. _Information gathering, hm? I wonder how I'll go about that._ His mind quickly rifled through the books he'd read, searching for a solution. He laughed as the solution came to him. _Nature chakra. The foxes can teach me._ Glancing at the sun's position, he determined that he still had time until his teammates came along. Making a quick series of hand seals and biting his thumb, he performed the Kuchiyose no Jutsu, summoning an average-sized fox. Nodding respectfully, he spoke quietly, *Tsume-hime. I have a request.*

The pure white fox's voice was melodious in his head. *Certainly, Naruto-sama. What is it you require?*

Naruto blinked. *I need to be trained in nature chakra, and information gathering. I want to notice things that other people overlook. Foxes are great hunters, so I figured you would be the best to turn to. Will you assist my training?*

Tsume's tail swished gracefully from side to side. *Of course, Naruto-sama. What is it you would have me do?*

*I will summon you again later today. Please discuss with the elders what they think would be best to help a human learn the skills of the foxes. If I focus my chakra to my nose and ears, I can mimic your abilities, but I do not have the mind or the instincts of a fox. I will require your assistance to use what information I gather correctly.* Naruto spoke formally, as he usually did.

Tsume inclined her head elegantly. *I will do as you have asked, Naruto-sama.*

He dispelled the summons, and the snowy fox disappeared in a puff of smoke. Leaning back against a tree, Naruto allowed a victorious grin to spread across his face. He felt that this training would be extremely useful, even more so than anything he'd done so far…

Glancing up, he saw Ino watching him. He gave her a simple nod of greeting.

Ino was slightly confused. Naruto had always been reclusive, but today he seemed even more mysterious than normal. She couldn't stop a slight smirk from spreading across her face when she pictured her and her teammates in the Exam. The other Konoha Genin would be shocked to know that Naruto had been hiding his skills in the Academy. It would be hilarious to watch…Shaking free for her humorous musings, she sat beside Naruto. "I think my Taijutsu is probably Chuunin level by now, Naruto. Do you think I should have Kurenai-sensei train me in Genjutsu today?"

Naruto blinked in surprise, as if he'd forgotten she was there. A slight tick mark appeared on her forehead. He could be incredibly annoying, sometimes….

With an apologetic look, Naruto answered her, *It sounds like a good plan. You have the chakra control needed for such techniques.* With that, he turned his thoughts inward again.

Ino itched to hit him, but they'd promised to be civil to each other. She was looking forward to seeing some of his real skills in the Exam…and to cheer him on while he pulverized everyone else. She chuckled evilly at the thought.

Sasuke, who was approaching, froze in place. His crazy fan girl senses were tingling, but there was no one here but Ino and she'd ceased her annoying advances recently. What was going on? No, he was not afraid of that dastardly chuckling. An Uchiha is never afraid. He was simply….concerned. Taking his chances, he sat on Naruto's other side, unsure if Ino had reverted to her old ways.

Naruto wordlessly pulled out the scroll he'd borrowed and returned it to Sasuke. The Uchiha smothered the urge to snort as he took the scroll. In the Academy days, the blonde dobe had never ceased to annoy him, for his pure stupidity. But it was appearing as if that had all been an act…

Kurenai-sensei greeted them as she walked up. "Hello Sasuke, Ino, Naruto. I just wanted to inform you that you will all be entering the Chuunin Exams, as we have discussed earlier. The Exams begin tomorrow. Kakashi and Asuma's teams will be entering, as well as Gai's."

Naruto felt a wicked smirk spread across his face. This would be very fun….

Ino spoke up. "Would you train me in Genjutsu, sensei? I'd like to be as prepared for the Exams as I can, and I think Genjutsu would be the best route for me at this point."

Kurenai smiled at the girl. She was really beginning to like her team a lot, and they had grown so much. She looked forward to what they would do in the Exams. "Of course, Ino. I'd be thrilled to help you. What about you two, Naruto, Sasuke? Is there anything I can do for you two before the Exams?"

Naruto chuckled dryly. *I have other things lined up to do for today, but thanks anyways, sensei. Perhaps in the morning, before the exams, you could teach me a few basic Genjutsu?*

Kurenai nodded her acquiescence. "Meet me here after your training with Gai. And you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke simply shrugged indifferently. "Genjutsu is not something that interests me. However…" He grudgingly admitted, "I would welcome suggestions on what I should be training in."

Kurenai stifled a snort. "Of course, Sasuke. You should focus on strategy, and perhaps a few combos with Naruto. You two would make an unstoppable tag team, if you worked together."

The two exchanged glances and shrugged. *After I'm finished tonight, I'll let you know. We can train at the Namikaze Estate.*

Sasuke simply looked indifferent, but he was pleased inwardly. "Fine."

Kurenai laughed silently at the two. They were simply endearing sometimes, the two of them. "Thanks for showing up on time. That's all I wanted to say. Ino, would you like to begin training now?"

Ino wiggled her eyebrows. "One moment, sensei." She pulled Naruto and Sasuke in with her arms and whispered, "After my training, we're meeting at Sasuke's place. If you don't show up, Naruto, I'll kill you." Her eyes twinkled roguishly as she looked him in the eye. "You better show up. There are things we need to take care of before the Exams."

Naruto, slightly unnerved by her sudden proclamation, nodded his compliance. He then waved at Sasuke and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Ino returned to where Kurenai waited and Sasuke merely rolled his eyes and sauntered away, hands in his pockets.

Naruto returned to the apartment. He couldn't quite bring himself to think of it as his yet, so for now it was just the apartment. Sliding inside the door and locking it behind him, Naruto found himself face to face with Naruko.

The blonde girl stared him down. "We need to talk, before we're on a team. There are things I need you to understand so it doesn't affect our mission performance."

Naruto nodded mutely. She was right. There was a certain tension between them. Reopening the door, he stepped outside. She was at his heels.

They walked for a long time, getting as far away from the apartment as they could without leaving Konoha. Then Naruko finally spoke up. "I can't say I'll forgive you for a while." She glared at Naruto.

The blonde boy simply waited for her to continue, blinking calmly at her.

"You destroyed my world. Even if it wasn't intentional, it was still a huge mistake on your part. Things won't be the same for me here as they were there. And though I can make those bonds again, things will be changed. I'm still furious at you, and I probably will always be."

Naruto simply nodded mutely. He'd expected as much.

Her lips pressed together. "The fact that you agree with me makes me a little angrier. But I feel horrible every time I get mad at you, because we're so much alike and you're all alone and I don't want to be like everyone else…" She realized she was rambling and trailed off. "This makes me even angrier. I'm so angry at you that I can't be angry at you."

Naruto suppressed a roll of his eyes. _Women._ Raising his eyebrows slightly he encouraged her to go on. From his experiences with girls, which were admittedly few, it would be best for him to allow her to wear herself out. Then she might stop talking.

"While we're out here, I'm gonna say some things that if you ever repeat to anyone, I'll kill you in your sleep. Capiche?" Naruko put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot.

Naruto _did_ roll his eyes this time. *Got it.*

"I'm really sorry that you're mute, I'm really sorry that you had the rotten luck to become a Jinchuuriki like me, and I'm really, really sorry that you don't seem to have any precious people." Naruko enfolded Naruto in a brief but tight hug. She then turned away to hide her face. "So while I won't forgive you for destroying the only place I ever belonged, I won't hate you for it, either."

A weary smile flitted across Naruto's face for a brief moment. *Thank you, Naruko.* he said simply. After walking her back to the apartment, he used a Shunshin to escape the village walls. Training in the wilderness with Tsume was beginning to look extremely inviting…


	18. Chapter 17: Finishing Touches

{{Look, you're so sick of looking at that cage that you're throwing it away  
>Without ever looking back again<br>That throbbing beat takes your breath away  
>And you kick open that window and take off<p>

You said if you could run, you would obtain it  
>You're tempted by that distant, distant voice<br>It grasps your far too dazzling hand  
>Until you pursue that blue, blue sky<p>

~Blue Bird by Ikimonogakari}}

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><p><strong>AN: Freyr Forest sounds lame, I know. But I can't really use Mount Myoboku for the fox realm, can I? x) In this chapter, I'm gonna begin switching to some other character's POV, and explain some backstories. I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think via review. ;) Next chapter will be the start of the Chuunin Exams!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Finishing Touches<strong>

Naruto went outside Konoha, excited to see what results this training could bring about. The white fox blinked up at him when he'd summoned her. *Naruto-sama.* Tsume greeted respectfully. *Karyu-dono and Kitne-dono have offered to assist you. They will need to be summoned.*

Naruto quickly complied. Karyu and Kitne were brothers, both russet in color. *Yo, Naruto!* Karyu welcomed enthusiastically. Kitne inclined his head slightly. *Are you ready to begin training?* the more subdued fox asked solemnly.

Naruto nodded. He formed the cross seal and made 50 clones. *I am ready.*

Tsume shifted her form into that of a human girl. She was a five-tailed fox, so she could take on a human form temporarily. "Naruto-sama. Please send your clones with Karyu and Kitne, and come with me back to Freyr Forest. The elders themselves will train you. It is too dangerous to complete your training in this realm. If you succeed in your training, you will become the first Kitsune Sage in 400 years."

Naruto did as she said and dispelled the summons. Tsume-hime was the vixen he respected the most from the Forest, and he would obey her orders without question.

He felt himself being reverse summoned, and when he reopened his eyes, a beautiful forest surrounded him.

Tsume, still in her human form, gave him a kind smile. "You will be able to speak while we are here, Naruto-sama."

Naruto nearly burst into tears. His throat worked as he searched for the right thing to say. "My deepest gratitude, Hime." He'd been silent for so long, the words felt heavy, as if a great burden had been placed on his shoulders. "I will train my hardest."

A deep, rumbling laugh filled the air. Startled, Naruto jerked in the direction the voice had come from. A giant orange-furred fox was regarding him with amused eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto. Or shall I call you Namikaze Naruto?"

Naruto thinned his eyes at the giant orange-furred fox. "Call me whatever you wish, Elder-sama."

The fox chuckled again. "You have come to train, have you not? Names are a small thing between foxes, but it is not so with humans. You may call me Tetsuo, or Elder." The fox lashed his tails, and Naruto noted that he had eight.

_He must be a powerful fox demon, _Naruto realized. _I shall learn all I can from him._ "I am ready."

Tetsuo bared his teeth in a demonic grin. "As you should be. I will show you what a Kitsune Sage can do." Shrinking down in size to that of a normal fox, he approached Naruto and shifted into a human. His hair, which was a mane really, reached his lower back and was a fiery red, very similar in color to Natsu's. His eyes were slitted and red. His garments were strange and foreign, unfamiliar to Naruto. Moving to Naruto's front he gestured for the teen to sit. They sat across from each other, cross-legged. "Have you any notion of nature chakra, boy?"

Naruto dipped his head slightly. "Yes. I've read accounts of other Sages, though admittedly not of a Kitsune Sage. I am familiar with the process."

Tetsuo seemed amused. "The Kitsune Sages differ from other Sages. I say this because of who you are. If you take in too much nature chakra, you will not turn into a Kitsune, as other Sages might."

At Naruto's puzzled looked, Tetsuo amended, "It is because you hold the strongest within you: Kurama. You are already Kitsune."

Naruto's baffled expression disappeared and he nodded in comprehension. "Does this mean the limit's on my nature chakra do not exist?"

Tetsuo frowned. "In the way you speak of, no. You have a decidedly higher limit than most, but you are still mortal. Natural energy would consume you if you take in too much."

Naruto looked a little disappointed at that. "Very well. How will we begin this training?"

"You must learn to sense the nature chakra, and draw it into yourself." Tetsuo instructed. "I sense that you see the natural energy already, but cannot pull it in. I have remedied this already. Karyu and Kitne have taught you this process. You will not be able to do it until your shadow clones are dispelled, but until then, you may use the waters of Freyr River to absorb nature chakra." Tetsuo reached out his right hand, and Naruto swore he felt a _pulling._ The river water obeyed his command, and a thin stream curled around his hands. "Give me your hands." The fox commanded.

Naruto stretched out his hands to Tetsuo. The water swirled around the redhead's hands as he drew several symbols on the backs of Naruto's hands. The rest of the water returned to the river at Tetsuo's motion. "Can you feel it?"

Naruto concentrated on the strange sensation. "Yes. It feels…alive."

A smirk lifted up the corners of Tetsuo's lips. "It is alive, kit." There were several moments of silence as they both watched the nature chakra filter through Naruto's hands.

"How will I know when I have too much?" Naruto questioned, feeling more alert than he'd ever felt.

The fox waved a hand vaguely. "You will know. It will be painful. I have heard it called…hmm, what was the word…hypersensitivity. Yes, that was it. Your senses will be much too strong to bear. When you reach that point, if you draw on anymore chakra, you will probably not survive. Your brain would have to shut down."

Naruto shuddered at the thought. It sounded very painful. "So, I can collect nature chakra. Aren't you going to teach me how to use it?"

Tetsuo looked positively devilish_._ "I will teach you some. I have a feeling that experimenting on your own will be more useful, though. After all, Kurama knows it better than I. Come."

Naruto was starting to get _reeeally_ nervous. He stood and followed the guy—er, fox. "What are we doing?"

Tetsuo gave him a feral grin. "Sparring. Which is a euphemism for me beating you into the ground repeatedly."

Naruto sighed. "And this will help?"

"Undoubtedly. Perhaps it will even keep you from getting killed in the Chuunin Exams." Tetsuo's voice became suddenly very serious.

Naruto's steeled his nerves, and when he met Tetsuo's eyes, they were filled with determination. "Very well. Let us fight."

With a roar of laughter, Tetsuo cracked his knuckles. "Well said, kit. Let us fight."

The two rushed towards the other, and with a clash of fists, the fight began.

* * *

><p>-FLASHBACK-<p>

"_Submit, demon. There's no way to win." Danzou spoke tonelessly. _

"_I will not give you what you want!" Natsu's fury bubbled over. His eyes were murderous, despite the hand gripping his hair and forcing him to his knees. _

_Danzou simply shrugged dispassionately. "Uchiha-san." _

_The grip on his hair tightened as Sasuke jerked him upright. Turning the blonde to face him, the raven-haired teen smirked. "Your power is not your own, __dobe.__ It's is Konoha's." _

_Natsu spat in Sasuke's face. Which was a very stupid idea, considering Sasuke was currently controlling his fate. The Uchiha became angry very quickly. "Trash…" he hissed, hands quickly making a set of rapid hand seals. He slammed his palms against Naruto's chest._

_The Kyuubi container fell forward limply into Sasuke's arms, feeling his chakra leaving him with a whoosh. The stupid Uchiha had just stolen his chakra, and there was nothing he could do about it. When he'd retrieved Sasuke like his mission had ordered him to, the first thing they'd done was place a seal over his other than prevented him from using any of his chakra. That, along with lack of food and water, had left him powerless. This didn't stop Sasuke from using him as a chakra battery, however. _

_The Uchiha wiped the spit from his cheek disdainfully. "He is easily subdued, as is the beast inside of him." The loathsome Sharingan eyes spun into existence as Sasuke regarded Natsu. "Trash," he hissed again, before backhanding the blonde and throwing him to the ground in retaliation for earlier. "May I, Danzou-sama?" Sasuke's tone was greedy as he looked to Danzou, now the Rokudaime. _

_Danzou allowed a small smile to occupy his face for a few brief moments. "Of course, Uchiha-san. Think of it as your welcome gift to ROOT." _

_Sasuke's eyes glowed with his lust for power as he turned to Natsu. "Then I will take it all." Making a single, one-handed seal, he watched Natsu scream with a sadistic smirk as he attempted to rip every ounce of chakra from the Uzumaki's body…._

With a hoarse scream of pain and terror, Natsu bolted upright. Not that day, not again…it was not enough to have been through it the first time, but he had to see it over and over again, in his dreams. Cold sweat soaked every inch of his body.

With a scornful laugh, Natsu sat up and walked to his shower, stripping his wet clothes off. _All this time, and I'm still so easily frightened. _Stepping under the hot spray, he washed the sweat from his body and dressed again in clean clothes.

Summoning up his usual careless smirk, Natsu left the apartment. Naruto was away training, so he was the only one there at the moment. The dream left him feeling chilled and pathetic. Despite everything that had happened, everything Sasuke had done…he still didn't hate the bastard. This realization startled him into a short bark of laughter. Man, he really _was_ pathetic.

He wandered through Konoha, with no destination in mind. A wry, amused grin spread across his face when he realized his destination was a graveyard. He didn't know any of the people buried here, except for two: Uzumaki Kushina and Minato Namikaze. With a somber air about him, he settled down in front of his father's grave. He didn't know how long he sat there, silently staring at the name on the stone, when someone placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

He was not startled; he had sensed someone approaching. He was startled, however, when he turned and met the eyes of Sarutobi Asuma.

He took a drag a blew out a long stream of smoke. "Paying homage to long dead heroes?" The man's quiet voice seemed loud and invasive, permeating the silence of the graveyard.

"Something like that." Natsu's voice was barely audible. Forgetting for a moment that this wasn't the Asuma he knew, he stole the man's cigarette and took a long drag before handing it back.

Asuma appeared startled, then just amused. _This kid is ballsy. "_It's a pretty nice day to be hanging out in a graveyard, kid. What's your name? I haven't seen you around before." He watched as the kid's muscled form twitched slightly. _Definitely a shinobi. _

"Natsu Uzari. I've been away from the village for a long time. On a mission." With that vague explanation, Natsu stole another drag from Asuma's cigarette, almost casualyl. He'd done it once already, doing it again just seemed natural.

Asuma blinked. "Asuma Sarutobi." He introduced himself finally.

Getting tired of stealing Asuma's cigarette, Natsu dug around in his pockets and pulled out a packet and a lighter. Sticking one in his mouth, he lit the end and stuffed the pack and lighter away again. "I know who you are."

Raising an eyebrow, Asuma said apathetically, "So you do. So tell me, why are you hanging out I in a graveyard?"

Natsu normally would've been irritated at the constant barrage of questions, but this was _Asuma, _and he could never honestly be mad at Asuma. "Dunno. This is where my feet brought me, so this is where I am." He rose from his seated position and faced Asuma. "Why are you hanging out in a graveyard?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Touché." Asuma said finally. He'd definitely never seen this kid before, and he would remember him if he had. With fiery red hair and deep violet eyes, he would be considered a pretty boy if he wasn't so…angry-looking. By that, Asuma meant that he had various piercings and tattoos scattered over his body. The younger man crossed his arms over his chest.

They stood there, smoking in the cold afternoon. Neither said a word, they just watched each other curiously.

Asuma said finally, "There's something different about you."

Natsu attempted to choke back a snort, but it escaped anyways. "I guess." He answered nonchalantly.

Asuma frowned at the elusive answer. There really was something off about the kid, otherworldly almost. He was usually pretty dead on with his gut instincts, and something was telling him that this kid was not human. It seemed ridiculous, but he didn't seem like he had ill intent towards Konoha, so Asuma decided to let him be. He would have to have a chat with his father about this Natsu Uzari, though.

Finally, Natsu broke the silence. "I need to be getting back. My roommate will be worried." With a backwards wave, he left Asuma to himself, standing in a graveyard smoking.

When Natsu got home, Naruto was in the shower. The blonde emerged a few minutes later, looking exhausted. Bruises covered his face. "Hard training?" Natsu asked sympathetically.

His younger self nodded with a slight grimace. *You have no idea. How was your day?*

Natsu snickered. "I hung out at the graveyard with Asuma."

Naruto blinked, surprised. His face twisted into a wry smile. *Interesting way to spend a perfectly good afternoon.* With a shake of his head, he grabbed a towel and rubbed his hair dry. *I'm going to meet my team now. Ino wanted something, and Kurenai thought that we should spar.* He paused at the door before adding, *Whatever's bothering you, I hope you feel better soon.*

* * *

><p>Naruto Shunshined to the Uchiha Manor, where Ino had said they were to meet. Greeting his teammates with a nod, he asked Ino, *So why did you call us here, Ino?*<p>

Ino gave him a saucy smile. She was sitting on Sasuke's couch. Sasuke himself was leaning against a nearby wall, trying to look cool. He was doing a good job of it, of course. But it was still kinda sad that he even tried.

"We're gonna go shopping!" Ino squealed.

Naruto and Sasuke stared at her like she was crazy. Probably not far from the truth.

Naruto, ironically, was the first to find his "voice". *Are you serious, Ino? I was doing very important training, and you called me here to go shopping?*

Ino put her hands on her hips. "We're a team. We need to look like a team. First impressions are everything. Nobody will know who you really are, Naruto. When they see how strong you were all along, they won't know what hit them. We need to play that to our advantage. And hiding your face is the best way to do that.*

Naruto gave her an incredulous look. *You know what, I don't even have a clue what you're talking about. But if you insist, let's just get this over with so I can go back to training.*

Sasuke grunted in agreement. An Uchiha shopping for clothing when he could be getting stronger….ridiculous.

Ino squealed and grabbed Naruto and Sasuke's arms, dragging them towards her favorite clothing store.

Despite how much Naruto had complained this _was_ a sort of training: endurance training. Trying to keep up with Ino was like trying to become a married bachelor: downright impossible.

When she had finished, they were all outfitted in black and dark blue. Ino wore purple and black.

The 'new' Naruto wore a body hugging sleeveless dark blue T-shirt, with black cargo pants that were tight around legs, and held up by two belts. A pair of black combat boots adorned on his feet and reached up to mid-calf. His forearms were covered by crisscrossing black bandages that went up to the elbows. Finally, a dark hood was tugged up over his hair and a scarf covered most of his face.

Sasuke wore a tight blue t-shirt with a black jacket zipped halfway up. He wore black shorts and black zori sandals. He'd refused most of Ino's suggestions and stuck with plain and simple. She had, however, forced him into wearing a strange twisted pendant made of black metal around his neck. It was pretty cool looking, he had to admit.

Ino had picked out a fishnet top that came down just past her elbows, and a purple tank top pulled over it. Unlike her previous outfit, this time she picked out baggy cargo shorts similar to Naruto's. She wore black boots also, but instead of being picked out for function, they were shiny and fashionable, laced up over her knee. Purple gloves covered her hands. Her belt was also purple studded, cinching tight around her small waist.

When Naruto questioned her about her wardrobe choices, she smirked. "I'm a new girl this time around. Skirts aren't all that practical when fighting, you know."

They all walked back to the Uchiha compound together, the new clothing purchases in the bags. When they got back to Sasuke's house Ino waved goodbye. "See you two in the morning. Have fun on those combos." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Naruto and Sasuke simply looked at her blankly.

She rolled her eyes. "You two are so innocent sometimes." With a giggle, she waved and flounced outside.

*Girls.* Naruto muttered to Sasuke.

The Uchiha grunted in agreement, opening the door and letting Naruto inside. "Let's go train, dobe." He paused for a split second. "You're wind element?"

Naruto nodded wordlessly.

Sasuke's face settled into a predatory grin. Naruto's wind could make his fire stronger. They could come up with some really powerful jutsu. "Then this will work well. Let's work…on our teamwork."


	19. Chapter 18: Exam Arc Begins!

{{Hello, hello, remember me?  
>I'm everything you can't control<br>Somewhere beyond the pain  
>There must be a way to learn forgiveness<p>

~What You Want by Evanescence }}

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><p><strong>AN: Just to clarify, Natsu did have blonde hair before he merged with the Kyuubi. Then he got Kyuubi-fied. To you perceptive people, no, that was not a typo. –chuckles- Nothing to report! Carry on. ;) Although, I do have one question. Just to make sure I don't overlook something….which Naruto character would you most like to appear that hasn't already? Like Gaara, Shikamaru, etc. Let me know, because I'm curious. x)**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Trust me; you would know if I did. –laughs-<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Exam Arc Begins! <strong>

Naruto rose early. He was too jittery to sleep any longer, and he definitely understood the significance of what would happen today. No amount of training that he could possibly do within a few days could prepare him to face Orochimaru, and he was doubly aware of that. Naruko had told him that all he had to do was have Sasuke's back, befriend Gaara, and possibly kill Kabuto, if the opportunity arose. At least, that was what she said at first. Later she'd added on, keep your dojutsu secret, attempt to keep the Sandaime alive, and help Ino win her watch.

Queasy at the thought of all the responsibility currently lying on his shoulders, Naruto sighed. Rising from his futon, he padded into the kitchen. He was surprised for a moment that Natsu was awake. Then he realized his foolishness; Natsu, so far, had been up before him every day. The older boy raised an eyebrow at Naruto, sipping from a mug. It was coffee, by the smell. "Hey, otouto." Natsu greeted. "Big day today, huh?"

Naruto blinked. *Yeah…* he replied finally. He always felt a little unsure around Natsu. The older man was slightly intimidating, with his tattoos and various piercings. *Hey, Natsu? How come you always seem sure that what you're doing will work out?*

The redhead's face betrayed his surprise at the question. "Do I really appear that way? Itachi must have taught me well." Shaking his head in slight amusement, he added, "Kid, trust me on this one. You really don't want to be like me." At Naruto's confused look, Natsu elaborated, "A lot of things have happened that I'm not proud of. Just do your best today, there's nothing else you should be thinking about. Naruko and I won't leave it all to you; we'll both do our part as well. You just have to get through the Exams. I know Naruko was planning on helping the Sandaime…and I'll deal with Kabuto, if you don't get to him. Gaara will be your only responsibility after the finals. Though then again, I'm just a delinquent. Who am I to be giving a hero advice?" A faint smile twitched across his face. "But I can't really help it. I have to pass along one more warning, from experience. Stand by Sasuke, no matter what. If you let him get away without admitting he needs Konoha, his home, it will be the biggest regret of your life." Bitterness clouded Natsu's clear gaze as he spoke, staring into the distance. Naruto thought the look was one of the most unhappy he'd ever seen.

*Thank you, Natsu.* Naruto slipped from the kitchen and left the apartment, deciding that some fresh air would do him good.

Natsu didn't reply, eyes still far away. _Sasuke…._

-FLASHBACK-

_The cold iron bars swung open with an earsplitting creak, disturbing Natsu from his silent contemplations. He didn't bother to turn towards the visitor. Only one person ever came, after all. It was Sasuke. No doubt he'd come to siphon more of Naruto's chakra. It seemed to be turning into one of the last Uchiha's favorite pastimes. "Sasuke." His voice was deadly quiet, and his violet eyes were flat. _

_Sasuke watched the Kyuubi container disdainfully. Blonde, matted hair hung around Natsu's shoulders in dirty clumps. He was wan and pale, a stark contrast to his normally tanned skin. His cheekbones were sharper than the raven could remember ever seeing them. Although the thing that had changed the most was his eyes, Sasuke decided._

_Previously, he'd hated those eyes. Bright and optimistic, Natsu never seemed to lose spirit, and his eyes reflected that. Natsu was a person of brightness and passions, sun and fire, savage artistry and iron devotion. He was obnoxious sometimes and irrational all the time, but he was never like _this_. He was never laid low, never pitiable, never _defeated._ To see him look so lifeless made Sasuke feel somewhat…disappointed. And that thought irked him more than anything else about the blonde. _

"_Natsu." Sasuke smiled darkly, the expression out of place on his pale face. _

_Natsu couldn't suppress a small smile. Despite everything, he didn't think he could ever truly dislike Sasuke, whatever the prick did. They were so different in everything, and that's why they could truly understand each other. _

_Sasuke frowned in annoyance, not understanding what the irritating blonde was grinning about. _

_Natsu had known the Uchiha too long to _not_ be fluent in Sasuke-ese. "Bastard. It's pretty ironic that while you're a prick and did everything you possibly could to ostracize the village, no one can bring themselves to hate you. On the other hand, I who would give up my life, my soul, and my heart for Konoha am the one hated." With an unpleasant laugh, Natsu shook his head. "It's just messed up." _

_Sasuke growled, angry at finding himself in the blonde's pace again. With a glare, he responded only, "Quiet, dobe. I'm taking what I came here for." He stepped inside the cell and took hold of Natsu's shackled wrists, draining chakra as soon as his fingers touched Natsu's skin. _

_Natsu didn't even seem to notice. He was used to it by now, after all. __"I just wonder sometimes if it's worth trying to fix everything. It'll just be all nice and pretty for someone else to come along and break it apart yet again. Maybe it would just be easier if things stayed broken." He turned his indigo eyes on the Uchiha. "Neh, Sasuke. If everybody hated me…. Loathed me... Rejected me….Why do I even exist in the first place?" _

_Sasuke gave no answers as he took the last of Natsu's chakra and left the cell. Natsu sighed and slumped back against the cell wall, exhausted and depressed that he couldn't seem reach Sasuke any longer. How long would this go on? _

-END FLASHBACK-

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><p>Naruto shivered. The morning air was brisk and cold, and the town was silent in the early morning. Normally he would be training with Gai and Lee at this time, but they had taken off, as Lee's team was entering the Chuunin Exams as well. He wondered with a pang if any of the Genin teams, other than that of the Sound and Sand, even remotely imagined what would go on in the next few months. They had no idea that a war was lurking on Konoha's doorstep. Naruto almost wished that he could go back to not knowing, if only to loosen the knot of apprehension in his gut.<p>

He glanced at his arms which were slightly cut up from his training last night with Sasuke. With a faint smile he recalled the combo they had created. It would be interesting to use in the Forest of Death. A slight smirk took over his face when he remembered Ino's choice of clothing for him. Why she wanted him to hide his face and hair was beyond him, but it would work to his advantage in the end. After all, he bore a startling resemblance to his father.

Those outside Konoha who were unaware of his connection with the Kyuubi would make that connection quicker than anyone inside Konoha, and he definitely didn't want that to happen. The whole reason he'd hidden his name and heritage was so that his father's enemies would stay away until he was strong enough to face them. He might be stronger than nearly anyone his age, but he was by no means strong enough to face S-class and Kage level nins.

The thought sobered him. Though he was reluctant, he needed to train more using the Kyuubi's power. It would be his only hope in such a situation at this point. Despite all the training he'd just done, he was still too weak. He shivered again as the cold seeped through his jacket, raising goose bumps on his flesh. He found himself standing by a lake, staring over the surface, so he sat down by the shore.

The sun was just beginning to rise, and Naruto stared upwards with a smile. A feeling of peace filled him, and he realized that perhaps things weren't so hopeless after all. No matter what happened, there would always be three people who understood everything about him, and that was really all that mattered. He had a _family_ now.

He wasn't even surprised when someone settled beside him. It just felt _right, _that in this moment, he would be there_._ Without turning, he greeted, *Sasuke.*

The last Uchiha allowed himself a small smile. "Naruto." They had come to an understanding, of sorts. Both would always be trying to surpass the other, but in that rivalry, a strange sort of friendship was formed. They were in some ways complete opposites. Naruto was the light, and Sasuke the dark. Naruto was compassion, while Sasuke was revenge. Naruto was warmth, and Sasuke was cold. But despite their differences, both of them had felt the crushing loneliness and pain of solitude, and that bond was something that went deeper than understanding.

They both sat like that for a long while, watching the sun rise. Naruto finally felt the need to say something. *Today we test our limits. I hope you won't forget everything we've learned, Sasuke.* Though he did not state it out loud, he was sure Sasuke would understand his meaning.

The raven-haired teen smirked. "I will not forget." He assured the blonde. With a slight shift of his eyes, he regarded Naruto. "You seem more solemn than usual."

Naruto understood the inquiry, but was unsure how to respond. *There is more to this Exam than what meets the eye, Sasuke. This will not be a typical Chuunin Exam. Be on your guard.* He kept himself from saying too much, but he met Sasuke's eyes to show his teammate that he was indeed serious.

Sasuke raised his chin minutely. "I am always on my guard, dobe." He sneered, but he tucked the comment away in his mind for further contemplation. Naruto didn't speak unnecessarily, unless he was trying to deceive someone. He'd been fooled by the blonde throughout the Academy, but now he knew too much to be fooled by so simple a disguise.

Naruto rolled his eyes. *Stuck up prick…* he mumbled, but there was no venom behind his words. From Sasuke's sudden shift in posture he could tell that the Uchiha had taken what he said seriously, despite his reply. With a slight shake of his head, Naruto stood. *I will see you at the meeting place.* With a backwards wave, he left Sasuke on the lake shore, staring into the sky.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Naruto returned to the apartments, making a beeline for the girl's room. He knocked politely and slouched back against the railing, waiting for someone to come to the door. As an afterthought he pulled down his hood. They might not recognize him if he didn't, considering his eyes were the only visible feature of his face.

Narue opened the door. When she saw Naruto, she gave him a big smile. "Naruto-nii-san!" she greeted happily.

Naruto gave her a warm smile in return. *Hey, Narue! How have you been?*

The young girl opened the door wider, beckoning him inside. "I love it here! I've been painting, nii-san! Come and see!"

Naruto laughed. *Yes ma'am.* He teased, allowing the girl to lead him forward by the forearm.

Naruko glanced up as he came inside. "Hey, Naruto." She welcomed casually. "The Exams begin today, right? Good luck."

Naruto nodded in acknowledgement. *Thanks, Naruko.* He hoped in the future, they could be friends, but for now, he had to settle for cordiality. Narue, still dragging him along, pulled him into a room that was mainly empty. Art supplies were in one corner, and what looked like a weapons bench in the other. Other than that, the room had yet to be used.

Naruto glanced around the room in amazement. Narue's paintings were spectacular! One in particular caught his eye. Stepping closer, he tapped the painting thoughtfully. *Do you give these titles, Narue?*

Narue grinned. "Yes! That one is called 'Harbinger'." She was looking at the painting fondly. "Can you guess what the inspiration was?"

The painting showed a gorgeous cerulean lake. On the right side of the painting, a small spit of land protruded into the lake. A heron stood at the water's edge, staring into the sky. The painting had a very whimsical feel to it, and Naruto felt as if he could stare at it all day.

*The name suits it. It's very stunning, Narue. I'm impressed.* Naruto praised the girl he thought of as his little sister.

Narue positively beamed. "Thanks, Naruto-nii-chan. Would you like me to paint something for you?"

Naruto ruffled her hair. *I'd surely love anything you paint, Narue-chan.*

Narue ducked her head shyly at the title. "I'll do my best." She mumbled, suddenly self-conscious.

Naruto patted her shoulder in a brotherly manner and turned back towards the door. *I'll visit again soon, to see what you came up with. Thank you for showing me your work.* He paused at the door. *Goodbye, Naruko.*

"Bye, Naruto. Kick their asses in the Exam, kay?" The volatile blonde grinned in a sinister manner. Naruto sweat-dropped at her coarse manner, but to appease her he gave a nod before disappearing out the door. He was glad Naruko didn't hate him anymore, because he had a feeling he would really not like to fight her.

Glancing at the sun's position in the sky, Naruto sighed. He still had an hour or two before their team was meeting, and he was at a loss for what to do. He'd normally train, but he needed to save all his energy for the Exam. He tugged his hood back over his hair absently as he thought. With a shrug, he decided to head for Ichiraku Ramen.

Ducking under the cloth awning, Naruto sat at the counter, nodding a greeting to old man Ichiraku. [One bowl of miso, please.] he signed to the store owner's daughter. When she'd heard of Naruto's predicament she'd rushed to learn the language.

Ayame grinned at him. "You got it, Naruto-kun! Coming right up!"

[Thanks, nee-san.] Naruto gave her a thankful smile.

The steaming bowl was placed before Naruto on the counter, and he broke his chopsticks and began to eat. He was the only customer there at the moment, but after he was on his second bowl, Akimichi Chouji showed up.

Chouji was unaware who he sat next to as he ordered a bowl of pork ramen.

Naruto stifled a chuckle. He wished he could ask Chouji if he was participating in the Exams…wait, he could. Turning to Ayame, he relayed his message discreetly.

Ayame placed Chouji's bowl in front of him. "Here you go, Chouji-san! Will you be entering the Exams today then?"

Chouji blinked, taken aback. "How did you know about the Exams, Ayame-san? I only just learned that my team was nominated moments ago."

Ayame smiled. "I don't know anything about any Exams, Chouji-san. I was just talking to this other gentleman participating, and he was wondering if you were as well."

Chouji turned his surprised eyes towards the hooded stranger seated beside him. "You are joining in the Exams, as well? What village are you from?"

Naruto turned towards him and pointed to the Leaf hitai-ate. He turned back to Ayame and made another quick few signs.

Chouji understood this time. This person must be mute. And to still be a shinobi after that…what determination! He respected this person at once. "What did he say?"

Ayame smiled. "He is on Team 8. He looks forward to meeting your team in the Exams. He wishes your team luck in the tests."

Chouji smiled. "The same to you." He frowned as he tried to recall who had been placed on Team 8. It seemed like ages ago…He felt like Sasuke had been on that team, but he couldn't remember the other members. "Who are you teammates?"

Ayame continued to play the role of translator. "Uchiha Sasuke and Yamanaka Ino. He asks the same of you."

Chouji finished his bowl and asked for another before responding. "Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Hinata."

Naruto inclined his head slightly and made a few more signs to Ayame before standing and leaving.

"He said that this Exam will be tougher than most, and he hopes that you three will succeed." Ayame said, omitting the last bit, as she felt that it was a little too hasty. Clearly he was having a bit of fun at his former classmates' expense. The last thing he'd said to her was, "But my team is going to school you all."

Chouji watched Naruto go, still unaware of who he'd been speaking with. "He seems strong…." He said aloud.

Ayame simply giggled. "He is very strong." She said with a wistful look in her eyes. "I hope you all see that."

Naruto left the stand feeling very amused. He hadn't been particularly close to anyone in the Academy, nor had his teammates. Because of this their team was relatively unknown. Sasuke kept mostly to himself, and Ino only argued with Sakura. Neither had friends who would bother to keep tabs on their team.

Naruto was actually rather unsure as to why Ino wanted to hide his identity, but he never questioned her for fear of violent retribution. Ino was a scary lady sometimes if you didn't go along with what she wanted, and no way would Naruto risk that when it would be very easy just to play along.

Looking at the sun once more, Naruto sighed. He would be about an hour early, but it wasn't as if he had anything else to do. He walked to the clearing where they always met. Ino was already there. "Hey, Naruto! You ready for this?" Ino was dressed in her new clothing and her pale blue eyes shone with anticipation.

*I'm as ready as I'll ever be.* He replied calmly, taking a seat beside his teammate.

Ino met his eyes and looked away with a snicker. "You kinda look like Shino with your face covered like that. You just need some sunglasses to complete the look."

Naruto rolled his eyes. *This was your idea, Ino. And I'm not wearing sunglasses; it's too hard to see clearly through them. Come to think of it, Shino must have amazing eyesight.*

Ino giggled. Trust Naruto to think of something that pointless to compliment someone on. "Idiot." She teased. "Did you meet anyone walking around this morning? I ran into Sakura. She said that if we didn't have Sasuke, her team would definitely pummel us into the ground. But since Sasuke's here, they'll avoid us. She didn't remember who my third teammate was." She cast a sideways glance at Naruto.

The blonde shrugged. *I ran into Chouji at Ichiraku. He didn't recognize me, even when I said I was on Team 8. He knows I'm mute though. Ayame had to translate for me.* The blonde gave a sheepish grin.

Ino chuckled. "My perfect crime is going off without a heist! I am amazing!" she crowed.

Naruto rolled his eyes. *I don't know if I'd go _that_ far…" he provoked.

Ino wheeled on him like a snake about to bite. "Oh, don't give me that! I helped you choose a smokin' hot outfit, it's the least you could do to praise me!" She lifted her head like a queen and looked down her nose at him. It was hard to tell if she was joking or not.

Naruto blinked blankly, trying for a page from Kakashi's book. *Did you say something?* he cocked his head lazily.

Ino groaned. "That's so annoying," she bemoaned.

Naruto smirked. *I was only joking, Ino.* His gaze flicked sideways as Sasuke approached. *Sasuke.* he acknowledged his teammate's approach.

Ino turned to see. "Sasuke-kun!" she greeted, happy to see him.

Sasuke inclined his head wordlessly before dropping down on Naruto's other side. "It appears we're all early."

Naruto snorted. *It's not like there's much else to do on a day where we have to conserve our energy.*

Ino conceded this with a sharp nod. "Yeah, you're right. I got bored so I just decided to come here early. Just curious, how did your teamwork session go?"

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances. *Fine.* Naruto answered briefly.

Ino rolled her eyes in exasperation and was about to demand more information when Kurenai strolled up. "You're all here already, I see. Well, I just wanted to say a few things before you head to the Exam. I'm sure a few teams are already there so I'll make this quick. I just wanted to tell you all I'm delighted by how far you've come. I believe that all of you will do well in this Exam, and that is why I've nominated you. As long as you do your best, I will always cheer you on. I hope that you will take what I've taught you and continue to grow, as people and as shinobi. I also hope that you will respect Naruto as your team leader and work together as a cohesive unit. I'm honored and pleased that my first team was a team as strong as this one is, and I hope you show all the participants, proctors, and spectators alike what you're made of. You are Team 8: now go and make all of Konoha proud."

All three Genin sat up a little straighter at Kurenai's words. With a breathtaking smile, the crimson-eyed Genjutsu Mistress drew them all in for a tight hug. "Make _me_ proud." She released the three. Naruto and Sasuke seemed a little embarrassed, but Ino was beaming at her.

"Thank you, sensei." The three chorused. Kurenai gave them directions to where the Exam was being held and the three walked as a team to the building, stepping inside.

The scene inside the building was chaotic. Ignoring the disorder, Team 8 headed upstairs to the third floor as they'd been instructed.

*There's a Genjutsu on the second floor, as I'm sure you've noticed.* Naruto told both Sasuke and Ino. *Don't point it out. Let it weed out as many newbies as possible. It's better for them to stop here if they can't recognize a simple Genjutsu like this.*

Ino and Sasuke both smiled slightly. They both agreed with Naruto, so they passed the mob without comment. One of the Chuunin henged into a Genin at the "exam room" called them out. "Hey, Genin! You're going the wrong way!" he taunted.

Naruto ignored him and kept walking. Ino looked to Sasuke, who shrugged and followed Naruto. Mentally slapping her forehead, Ino hurried after them. Her two teammates were so hopeless sometimes…

When they stepped inside the room, Naruto was amazed at the number of Genins present. His gaze immediately flicked to Gaara. He was unmistakable, just as Naruko had promised.

Gaara met his eyes coldly. Neither said a word, but there was an unspoken challenge. Both wanted to fight the other. Naruto pulled his gaze away and glanced around at the rest of the "Rookie 9", as they were called. He also noted Lee, Tenten, and Neji from Gai's team.

His eyes narrowed somewhat as he glimpsed Kabuto. So this was Orochimaru's henchman. He looked very normal, but Naruto supposed that was the point.

Sakura immediately came over to his team, latching on to Sasuke. "SASUKE-KUN!" She squealed, hanging all over him.

Naruto almost felt sorry for the bastard. Almost. But this was _Sasuke_ we're talking about, so he simply smirked and turned away.

Sasuke practically drilled holes through Naruto's back with his glare.

Ino shoved Sakura off. "Get off of him, forehead! Sasuke-kun doesn't need a weak girl like you dragging him down!"

Naruto sighed and covered his ears. Their high-pitched squeals were getting on his nerves. Shikamaru turned an interested eye on Naruto. "I don't remember seeing you in the Academy," he remarked rather pointedly, posture decidedly lazy.

Naruto could read the suspicion hidden in the Genin's tone. Chouji whispered something in Shikamaru's ear, most likely informing the cloud-lover that Naruto was dead, and the spiky-haired boy frowned. Taking in the people in the room, he commented, "What happened to Naruto?"

Blank looks met his question. Kiba laughed uproariously. "Why would you bring up that loser? There's no way he passed the second test when he just _barely_ passed the Genin Exam in the Academy!"

Hinata held back a frown as she pushed her fingers together awkwardly. _N-Naruto-kun….I hope he's okay…._

Shino pushed his glasses up his nose. "It is unlikely that Naruto-kun be here. The reason I say this is because it seems he was injured on a mission."

If anything, Shino got even more blank stares.

Tenten and Lee overheard the conversation. Lee frowned and started to say something but Tenten shook her head at him, giving Naruto an amused look as if to say, _'This is pretty funny. I'll play along.'_

Neji, of course, had never met Naruto so he said nothing, only ignored everyone like Hyuugas (except Hinata) do best.

Sakura gave Sasuke a coy look. "So who's your teammate, Sasuke-kun? I bet he's a weakling. You probably had to carry Ino-pig and him through every mission, am I right?"

Sasuke held back a growl. He scrambled for something to call Naruto. Remembering him summoning foxes, he said, "Kitsune is a perfectly good teammate, as is Ino."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. "Kitsune, eh?" he mumbled to Chouji.

Kabuto chose that moment to approach the Genin. "Quiet down, rookies. All the other teams are looking like they'd like to kill you very much, so if you don't want to die I'd suggest you pipe down."

Naruto discreetly moved away from Kabuto. Shikamaru's eyes followed his every move. Naruto stifled a sigh. Sometimes Shikamaru could be…troublesome, to borrow the lazy boy's catchphrase.

Kabuto, however, had a target: Sasuke. He began explaining his information cards, hoping to catch the Uchiha's interest.

Sasuke wasn't responsive, however. He doubted that Kabuto had any relevant information on Naruto, and he hadn't come across anyone else that interested him…yet. He retreated towards Naruto and let Kiba and the others pester Kabuto.

Ino followed them. She noticed Shikamaru watching her team. "Hey, Shika! You got something to say to us?"

Shikamaru sighed. "That would be too troublesome," he grumbled, averting his gaze. For now.

"That's what I thought." Ino said triumphantly. She spoke in sign language so the other Genin wouldn't hear: [We're gonna rock their faces off, yeah!]

Naruto rolled his eyes. [I don't particularly like bloody situations, thank you.]

Ino glared at him. [You know what I mean, idiot.]

Sasuke finally decided to join the "conversation." [This seems like a pretty weak lot.] he decided.

[Don't be so quick to judge, Sasuke-teme. I can tell you a lot of things about these people. See the redhead from Sand? He's probably the strongest one here. Steer clear of him. Also, the creepy spandex kid, Rock Lee. He may not look like much but even I can't beat him in a Taijutsu spar. Not to mention, despite Shikamaru's laziness, he's probably smarter than all of us combined. He has a brilliant grasp of strategy. And also, Shino. He could drain your chakra in a heartbeat with his clan's Kikaichuu bugs.] Naruto deliberately left out Orochimaru. He shouldn't have information about the snake, after all.

[Thanks for the heads up, Naruto] Ino replied. [Whatever comes our way, I think we can handle it.]

Sasuke grunted. [What about the two Hyuuga?]

Naruto gave Sasuke a look. [You liar, you were interested after all. Hinata is too timid to be much of a problem. Stay away from her team and she'll leave us alone as well. Neji, on the other hand….he's strong.]

Sasuke resisted the urge to get up, walk over to Naruto, and punch the dobe. [How strong?]

[He was the Rookie of the year last year, like you.] Naruto leaned back against the wall.

Morino Ibiki stormed into the room and shouted above the chatter. "Quiet down! I am Morino Ibiki, the proctor for the first exam. I'm going to tell you how this is going down once, and once only. The first exam is a written exam." Ibiki began explaining the Exam rules and pointed everyone to a seating chart.

Naruto found himself next to Hinata and the Grass nin he suspected was Orochimaru. _Well, this is just great._ The exams were passed out, and Ibiki told them to begin. Naruto almost snorted when he realized how easy this would be. *Ino, conserve your chakra. Sasuke, use your Sharingan and relay the answers to us.*

Sasuke sighed. *Dobe, I always do all the work.* he relayed the answers and Ino and Naruto dutifully copied down what he said.

*Drama queen.* Naruto shot back.

Ino rolled her eyes. *Now what? I'm bored.*

As this mental conversation went on, many Genin teams were getting dismissed for cheating badly. Naruto suddenly laughed…mentally.

Naruto leaned back in his seat. *you know, there's an extremely hilarious flaw in this exam. Basically, if you cheat badly more than once you fail. But if you just do it once, they can't kick you out. So really, someone could just stand up, walk over to one of the plants, memorize the answers, walk back to their seat, and write them on their own test.*

Ino and Sasuke blinked, realizing he was right. *No one would be stupid enough to actually do that, dobe.*

Naruto chuckled. *Yeah, but it would be funny.*

Ino snickered as well. *Yeah, it would. I'm gonna doodle now. Ino out.*

And with that, the conversation was over. Because Naruto and Sasuke he most certainly did not _ever_ exchange friendly small talk.

Naruto quickly grew bored, so to keep himself occupied, he started jotting down on the back of his exam what all the other Genin were doing to get their information.

Shikamaru is a genius and knew all the answers. He relayed them to Chouji using coded hand signs. Hinata used her Byakugan. Neji used his Byakugan. Tenten attached ninja wore to a mole's arm and copied his answers as he wrote. She then attached her wire to Lee and answered his test as well. Sakura knew the answers, Kiba had Akamaru relay the answers to him, and Shino used his bugs. Gaara of the Sand made a third eye of sand and copied the answers. Temari of the Sand used a simple Genjutsu on the entire room before executing a Kawarimi no Jutsu with a mole and stealing his test. Kankurou went to the "bathroom" and came back in henged as a proctor. Kabuto and the Grass nin knew the answers. The Sound nin used high frequency sound waves to relay the information that the red-headed girl gathered with a small snake summon. Everyone else was lame and won't last very long. 

Naruto flipped his paper back over and stared at Ibiki, just to be creepy. The proctor noticed the stare immediately and met Naruto's eyes. Ibiki's eyes narrowed. By the eye color, this was Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi container. Interesting….he had nothing against the kid. By the way he was hiding his hair from enemy nin, he seemed smart enough.

Sasuke smirked as he watched the stare-off. This was boring…No, wait. Uchihas don't get 'bored.' This was most definitely _not_ boring.

Shikamaru, Kankurou, Temari, and Shino all received varying degrees of amusement from Naruto and Ibiki's glaring contest as well. Gaara was watching Naruto, a bloodthirsty smile on his face. Hinata kept poking her fingers together awkwardly. Finally Ibiki explained the 10th question.

Most of the lame teams gave up. Sakura seemed extremely nervous that Kiba would screw up, but she didn't do anything about it.

Ibiki, seeing that everyone who was going to quit had already left, smiled almost demonically. "Congratulations, you pass."

*Yaaay. Can me move on now?* Naruto grumbled to Ino and Sasuke, who snorted in agreement.

Most of the other Genin got mad, so Ibiki gave his 'this Exam actually applies to the situation of real ninja' speech. He also pulled his head covering off and showed them his scars, which Naruto found odd.

But the really odd thing happened next. A purple-haired lady came crashing through the window. "Hello, maggots! I am Mitarashi Anko, the proctor for the second exam. Don't be happy you passed just yet….by the time I'm done with you, the number of teams here will be cut in half! Now, follow me to the next exam!"

Naruto stood, shoving his hands into his pockets. All the Genin who had passed followed Anko to the Forest of Death. Naruto could feel Sasuke's eyes on his back as he walked. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the Chuunin Exams were in a training area he frequented regularly.

Anko handed out the forms next, trying to be as creepy and scary as possible. Naruto could suddenly see where Naruko was getting some of this stuff from.

Ino got their team's form and Team 8 huddled away from everyone else. "A survival test, hm? What's our equipment?"

Sasuke checked his weapons pouch. "7 kunai, 23 shuriken, 6 ft. of ninja wire, and 5 explosive tags."

Ino raised her eyebrows. "Expecting trouble? I have 10 kunai, 10 shuriken, and some ration bars."

Naruto held back a smirk. *I have the standard combat equipment, lots of ramen, cooking supplies, three sleeping bags, three pillows, matches, and soap. Probably some other stuff which escapes my mind as well…* Naruto trailed off at the dumbstruck look on his teammate's faces. *What? I have sealing scrolls, remember?*

"I really hate you sometimes, Naruto." Ino sighed. "But that won't stop me from using your stuff."

Sasuke just grunted. "Couldn't you have brought something other than ramen, moron?"

*If you don't like ramen then feel free to eat Ino's ration bars, teme.* Naruto teased.

Sasuke growled in reply. "Hn. Let's sign the form."

"Oh yeah, that thing." Ino grinned. They all scrawled down their names.

Turning the form in, they went to their assigned gate to wait. "The Second Exam begins now!" The gates leading into the Forest of Death swung open. The second phase of the Chuunin Exams had begun.


	20. Chapter 19: Chuunin Exams Pt 1

{{ We were the tears that passion cried  
>We were the sacrifice<br>We were the flame that wouldn't die inside  
>How did we go wrong<br>We will not forget  
>We will not be left behind<br>We won't give up the fight again  
>We won't be denied<p>

~Who We Are by Red}}

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><p><strong>AN: Yup, just wanted to clear something up. Yugito is younger here, considering she's like a thirty year old woman in canon, she wouldn't be taking the Chuunin Exams. I like Jinchuuriki, however, so I want her in my story. Therefore, she is now Neji, Lee, and Tenten's age.**

**10/30/2012: Some minor editing was done. Only small things, so to those who have read this chapter already, no need to reread. Thanks to blurple for pointing out my little mistake. ;)  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: Chuunin Exams Pt. 2<strong>

Naruto, Ino, and Sasuke exchanged grins before heading out into the forest eagerly. This…would be great fun.

"Who are we targeting?" Ino shouted through the roar of the wind as they sped through the treetops.

Naruto felt a small grin slide onto his face. *That Rock team was obviously weak.*

Sasuke gave him a malicious smirk in reply. "Perfect."

Ino rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Boys, boys. Behave now. But it sounds like a good target. We might as well face them head on and then get moving to the tower. I have things to do, and I'm looking forward to the fight."

Naruto frowned and made several Kage Bunshin. He'd seen several cameras scattered through the forest. He wished he could target Kabuto, but he didn't want to arouse suspicion by taking out a target plain view. It would have to wait until _after_ this exam. *I'll find that team. We should stay away from Shika, also. He's getting suspicious, and I hate questions.*

Ino shifted her gaze towards Naruto slightly as they jumped from branch to branch. "You always call him Shika. I didn't know you two were friends."

Naruto's brows shot skywards. *We're not really. We just understand each other, that's all. Besides…he's one of the few people who actually bothered to speak with me.* He spared Ino and Sasuke a pointed glance. *Unlike you two, who saw it fit to hate me for no reason.*

Ino blushed and looked away. Sasuke glowered. "I never hated you, dobe. I just ignored you."

Naruto simply snorted in reply. *I suppose some of it was mutual.* he conceded reluctantly. His face suddenly lit up. *Score for the Kage Bunshin!* he exclaimed, grinning.

Ino grinned back. "You found the Rock team?"

Naruto blinked, as if just realizing he'd spoken that through the link. *Oh. Um, no. My Kage Bunshin in the library just found something I'd been trying to find for weeks.*

Sasuke zeroed in on that. "Why do you have Kage Bunshin in the library?"

Naruto looked amused. *I always have Kage Bunshin in the library. It's a constant flow of information, I might as well capitalize on it.*

Ino shook her head in disbelief. "How many Kage Bunshins do you have walking around right now, Naruto?"

Naruto paused, eyes narrowing in thought. *Probably somewhere near 70, I'd say.*

Ino's eyes bugged out. "SEVENTY? Why in the seven realms would you ever need _seventy_ Kage Bunshin?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. *Look, this is normal for me; seventy are hardly a strain. Ten are in the library researching, fifteen searching this forest. Ten are out training, attempting to gain mastery over various jutsu; twenty are sparring with each other to work on Taijutsu. Ten are in henge throughout Konoha observing body language and facial expressions, and the last five are gathering information outside Konoha.*

Sasuke and Ino were both thunderstruck. That was really amazing…but they were both a little jealous and didn't say anything else.

Naruto suddenly snapped his fingers. *Found those Rock nin. I'll lead the way.* His speed increased as he veered to the left. Sasuke growled and did the same, Ino to his left.

Naruto abruptly slowed. *We're getting close. They haven't sensed us yet. What's the plan?*

"You're team leader, dobe. You tell me." Sasuke still seemed miffed about that.

Naruto rolled his eyes in exasperation. *Seriously? You can be such a prima donna sometimes. All right, Sasuke-hime. What do you suggest?*

Sasuke sent a sharp burst of chakra through the seal, causing Naruto to wince. *Hey, watch it, teme! That hurt!*

"Stop mocking me and I will." Sasuke grumbled.

Ino whacked both boys on the head with her fists. "Stop fighting and focus! We've got work to do. They'll get away if you don't stop bickering like little girls!"

Naruto, to Ino's surprise, laughed. *Touche. Well then, Sasu. Let's get to work, shall we?*

"Sasu" gritted his teeth. "Shut UP!"

Ino suppressed a chuckle. Though their team dynamic was a little strange…it was definitely entertaining.

Elbowing Sasuke in the side to gain a head start, Naruto bolted towards their targets. *Catch me if you can!*

For someone who acted so serious almost all of the time, Naruto definitely had his childish moments.

Sasuke quickly caught up to Naruto, looking furious. Ino followed them, giggling. "Let's do this!"

The three of them Shunshined down in front of the Rock team, all smirking. Not that you could tell from the scarf wrapped around Naruto's face.

*What scroll do we have anyways, Ino?* The boys had given the purple-clad girl the scroll, claiming no one would suspect it. Ino had pouted at first, but she was a little touched so she'd taken the scroll.

*Heaven scroll.* Ino answered telepathically so that the Rock team couldn't hear.

Naruto lifted his chin, blue eyes flashing in the sunlight as he regarded the Rock Genin. *See which one they have. *

Sasuke stepped forwards. "Which scroll do you have?" his voice was thick with anticipation for the fight ahead, and Naruto could practically hear the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

One Genin laughed. He was clad in normal black ninja clothing and a Rock hitai-ate. "You won't be able to take our scroll, so there's no harm in telling you we have the Earth scroll. We'll beat you regardless of what scroll you have. Less competition that way." With a wide grin, the Rock Genin withdrew a kunai. "I am Fujiwara Hyosuke, the man who will be your death."

Naruto looked on impassively. *I'll take care of this. Sasuke did the last one, and Ino will need all her pathetically small chakra reserves later.*

The blonde stuck her tongue out at Naruto, but didn't protest. Sasuke shifted his body subtly to let Naruto step in front, which the blonde promptly did. *Watch my back, teme.*

With a burst of speed almost too quick to follow, Naruto held a kunai to Hyosuke's throat.

Sasuke chuckled. The dobe _would_ take the easiest way. "Give him the scroll, or he'll kill your teammate." He advised the other Rock nin.

"Don't you dare!" Hyosuke grunted to his teammates as Naruto tightened the blade at his neck, causing a small trickle of blood to drip down his neck.

The other Rock Genin exchanged glances. "Dude, we can get two other scrolls easily. It's not worth an injury." One said, reaching into his pouch to pull out the Earth scroll. He tossed it to Sasuke.

Ino spoke up behind him, and Sasuke was startled slightly. "The _real_ scroll, dweebs."

Sasuke quickly activated his Sharingan and found that she was right. The "scroll" he held was a roll of ninja wire. He really hated Genjutsu…

Naruto's kunai dug deeper and Hyosuke gave a whine of pain. The blood was flowing faster now.

"For real this time, or your teammate's dead." Sasuke warned.

The Rock Genin quickly handed over the real scroll, and Naruto released his hostage. "Good luck catching up." Ino said them sweetly before grabbing on to Naruto's shoulder as he Shunshined away. Sasuke did the same.

*Too easy.* Naruto was slightly annoyed at the whole situation. He didn't want to reveal his muteness, but during the Third Exam it would be all too clear. Nobody fights without saying a single word…not even Shino. *Let's go to the Tower. Gaara's team already made it, according to my Kage Bunshin.*

Sasuke snarled. He hadn't really taken Naruto's words seriously, but he was annoyed that they weren't the first ones there.

*Down, boy.* Naruto said mildly. *Gaara is _good_. I told you that.*

Ino let loose a long, exasperated sigh. "Shunshin to the Tower, Naruto. I want a shower."

Naruto gave her an amused look. *Why? You didn't do anything.*

"Naruto! Leave off! Not in the mood!" Ino scowled at her pesky teammate halfheartedly.

Naruto snickered. His hands snaked out to catch Ino and Sasuke's wrists, and he Shunshined them all to the Tower. Entering the building, they came to some words on the wall. Scanning the lines quickly, Ino told them, "We're supposed to open the scrolls now, at the same time."

Naruto and Sasuke shrugged and did as she said. Kurenai appeared in a burst of smoke, looking mildly surprised. "Well, that was quick." The Genjutsu Mistress commented.

Naruto shrugged, tapping his head. *The advantages of Kage Bunshin, sensei.* he reminded her.

Kurenai laughed freely. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Well, anyways, congratulations on passing the Second Exam. You're the second; a Sand team came in before you. Both of you have record times. And you don't appear to be injured, either."

Team 8 grinned at her cheekily. The crimson-eyed lady shook her head in mock vexation and continued, "You're allowed to sleep, eat, or do whatever you wish within Konoha until the Exam is concluded. That could take up to three days. You will be called back to this building when that happens. Until then, feel free to go about your normal business. Get plenty of rest."

Team 8 saluted their sensei. Naruto grinned. *Thanks for believing in us, sensei! Because as you can see, we totally schooled them all. Well, except Gaara.*

Kurenai chuckled softly at Naruto's words. "You're welcome. Well done, all of you." With a nod of acknowledgement, she disappeared in a swirl of somewhat soggy leaves.

_Hm, she's water element._ Naruto thought to himself absently as he turned towards Ino and Sasuke. *I'm going to get some food. Wanna come along?*

Ino nodded and Sasuke shrugged. "No ramen, though." Ino warned.

Naruto chortled. *Fine. I'm not paying for you two, though. Where should we go?*

Ino's face twisted in concentration. "Yakitori?"

Naruto and Sasuke shrugged in unison.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ino grabbed both of their arms and let Naruto Shunshin them into the restaurant.

*You two are so lazy. Learn Shunshin yourself.* Naruto grumbled as they all sat down and ordered. The food came quickly and was eaten just as quickly. Naruto stood up after he had paid. *I'm gonna go find Gaara.* he told his teammates before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

It wasn't hard to do, as the redhead radiated killer intent wherever he went.

Naruto stepped into the light and greeted the boy with a tap on the shoulder. Gaara was surprised that his sand hadn't stopped Naruto from touching him, and understood that the reason why the sand hadn't attacked the blonde was because he had no intent to hurt Gaara. Gaara was even more surprised when instead of speaking, the blonde held up a notepad that read, {You are Subaku no Gaara.}

Pale green eyes stared at him. "Who are you?" The toneless voice was exactly as Naruto had expected.

{Uzumaki Naruto.} The blonde stepped closer. {Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko.}

Gaara's black-rimmed eyes widened the slightest centimeter at that proclamation. "You are like me." He stated calmly, though a voice in his head screamed for blood. For once he felt something akin to fear.

{Yes." Naruto's face was just calm. {I came to…speak…with you about your seal.} The hesitation in his word choice was painfully obvious.

Gaara's expression didn't change, but inwardly he was confused and apprehensive. "Why?" he asked in a monotone.

Naruto's expression turned very serious. {I believe it is defective. I think I can help.}

"Why?" Gaara asked again, simply not understanding.

Naruto gave Gaara a very small, sad smile. {There are not many like us. I would like to think that perhaps we are similar, and that we could understand each other. If it were me with a defective seal…I would want the same courtesy extended.}

Gaara watched Naruto, face and eyes blank and expressionless. "…Understand each other?"

{Yes. I know what your village is planning, Gaara. You're all being tricked. Your father….was killed. I can tell you where to find his body. The Kazekage you currently have is an imposter by the name of Orochimaru. He's after my teammate, Uchiha Sasuke. We got away from him in the Forest, but I'm not sure what he'll do next.} Naruto erased this as soon as Gaara had read it.

Gaara suddenly stepped towards Naruto. "We will speak….elsewhere." He touched ice-cold fingers to Naruto's forehead and closed his eyes. Naruto did the same. When they'd both opened their eyes, they were in Naruto's mindscape. Gaara was looking at the caged Kyuubi. "You did not lie." He said blandly. "Can you speak inside this realm?"

Naruto nodded once. "Yes. And as you know it is impossible for a human to lie here. So know that everything I say is completely true. I mean you nor your village any harm. I would like to repair your seal so that you can block out the Ichibi's influence, and perhaps even sleep. I spoke the truth about the Kazekage before, too."

Gaara's expression changed the tiniest bit. He appeared a little hopeful. "And…you can fix the seal? It will block _his_ influence?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. May I?"

Wordlessly, Gaara lifted his shirt and channeled chakra to reveal his seal. It was on his right hip, drawn in blood.

Naruto pressed his lips together at the shoddy workmanship. "It's a wonder Shukaku hasn't broken free yet," He mumbled absently as he leaned din closer to inspect it. "This is terribly formed." His sharp gaze slid sideways to the bars that contained his tenant. Forming a seal, Naruto allowed a small bit of the Kyuubi's essence to leak through the bars. A fox about the size of a small dog trotted over. "Look at this, Kurou. I know you don't like Shukaku, so give me a hand."

Gaara watched with slightly widened eyes as a miniature Kyuubi regarded his seal. *You'll need a stabilization seal, a suppression seal, and something to help with the chakra overflow. It'll be difficult to layer properly.* the small fox instructed Naruto.

"That's what I thought, too." Naruto, looking pleased with himself, waved Kurou back to his cage and returned his attention to Gaara. "How about making a deal with me, Gaara? I'll fix your seal, and in return, your village fights with us against Sound."

Gaara gave him an almost imperceptible frown. "How will I accomplish this? My village hates me."

Naruto seemed pained at his words. "I know. But your siblings don't. Show them your father's body, and explain about Orochimaru. They will help you stop the village shinobi from attacking Konoha. Your sensei will be of help, too. It will be easy as long as you keep this hidden from Orochimaru. Leave that snake to me." Naruto's gaze hardened.

Gaara considered this for a long while. "If I no longer live to kill, then what is my purpose for being alive?"

Naruto blinked in surprise. "I don't know. Your siblings care about you. Perhaps they can help you. And I….we are remarkably similar. I live to prove them all wrong, every last person who hates me because they think I'm the Kyuubi. I am not optimistic about my chances to change this village, but….True hope looks despair in the eyes and does something about it. For people like you and me, who have seen the darkest depths of the world's despair, are the only ones who can bring true hope. In time, maybe you will understand my words."

Gaara did not understand, but he felt as if Naruto's words were very wise. "I accept your deal, Uzumaki Naruto. I will do my best to stop my village."

A complex wave of emotions danced across Naruto's face. "Thank you. I will work on the seal, and apply it before the next Exam. How shall I let you know when I'm finished with preparations?"

Gaara's face relaxed slightly. "I do not sleep." He said slowly. "I will find you each night to see if you are finished. I will be sending a sand clone to retrieve my father's body. Thank you for informing me of his death. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?"

Naruto gave him a gentle smile. "Only one thing. My teammates all have a seal which allows me to communicate directly to their chakra system with my own chakra. Would you be opposed to receiving this seal?"

Gaara was a little intrigued. "If this seal does me no harm and cannot be eavesdropped upon, this would be acceptable." His voice was still a monotone.

"Thank you for your trust." Naruto and Gaara left Naruto's mindscape so that Naruto could give Gaara the communication seal. With deft brush strokes, Naruto drew the seal on Gaara's neck quickly. *I am finished.*

Gaara didn't even flinch as Naruto's chakra filtered through the seal. *Thank you. We will speak again later.* the redhead disappeared in a swirl of sand.

Naruto felt a full genuine smile cross his face. He was glad he could help Gaara. It would've been hard for him to fight against the Sand, and he was glad he was no longer required to. Naruko and Natsu had told him so much about Gaara that Naruto had immediately felt comfortable around him.

He ran a hand through his hair and turned to leave. Unfortunately, as he abruptly changed directions, he ran into someone.

"Watch where you're going!" A girl hissed at him, gingerly rubbing her jaw which had collided with his shoulder.

Naruto gave her an amused look and replied via notepad, {While I am an excellent ninja, even I do not have eyes in the back of my head. I believe the fault here is yours.} He eyed her curiously. She had been in the Exams…the single team from Cloud. {What is your name?}

The girl frowned as he wrote, but decided not to comment and tossed her plaited hair to her back. "It is polite to give your name first."

{Uzumaki Naruto.} He could tell this girl was an excellent kunoichi, so he wanted to gather as much information about her as he could. {Of Konoha.} He added after a moment's thought, seeing as his hitai-ate wasn't visible.

"I am Yugito Nii." A small smile flitted across her face. "I hope to fight you in the Exams, Uzumaki-kun." With a smirk, she added, almost suggestively, "I am curious why you hide your face." Without giving him a chance to reply, she sashayed past him. "Until next time."

Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't fond of women and their ridiculous games. His attention turned as he felt Kyuubi shifting in the back of his mind. **/What is it, Kyuu?/**

**/That girl is a Jinchuuriki. The Two-Tails, if I'm not mistaken./ **The fox seemed amused.

**/Jinchuuriki?/ **Naruto repeated dumbly. His head spun. **/Natsu and Naruko didn't say anything about her./**

**/You can't honestly expect everything to be exactly the same. It's obviously very different. You have a ****kekkai genkai**_**, **_**kit./ **Kyuubi's voice was scornful.

**/Yeah, I suppose./ **Naruto pulled the scarf tighter around his face, almost like a shield. He started to move again but hushed voices caught his attention.

"You're directly under my command, Karin! And unless you'd like to answer to Orochimaru-sama, you'd best do exactly as I say!" A man's voice hissed.

Naruto moved closer in an attempt to see their faces. He quickly masked his chakra signature so as not to be discovered spying. To his surprise, it was the Sound team. The girl had bright red hair, a little pinker than Gaara's. The guy had a hitai-ate covering his head and wore dull colored clothes. He pulled his hood down and removed his hitai-ate, just in case he was discovered. He wouldn't immediately be recognized as a Konoha Genin in the exams.

"Screw you, Shinseki! Doing your dirty work and following orders are two different things entirely. Just because Orochimaru-sama is interested in the Uchiha doesn't mean I have to sleep around to get information! There haven't been any orders from Kabuto-san!" Karin bit back a growl.

"It's not like you haven't done it before, slut. Shouldn't make much difference to you. Besides, what else are you good for? Women are weak. If Orochimaru-sama hadn't give you a second chance, you'd be dead ten times over. You're lucky I've protected you this long, but from this point on, you're on your own, girlie." Shinseki sneered at her. "Do your job, or I'll report this to Kabuto-san."

Karin's head lowered and she clenched her fists. "Understood." She got out through her anger. The man left and the anger disappeared. She collapsed back against the wall, weary. Tears pricked her eyes as she accepted her fate. There was no one to save her…not trash like her.

Her head jerked upwards as a hand lightly touched her shoulder. Blue eyes bore into hers. They were blue and just that. Not empty, not electrifying, not paled or gleaming, or beating any foreign shine-no. They were the true blue. No personification of thoughts, or feelings, or judgment. Unadulterated, unfiltered, and uncontrollable blue. These were eyes that knew the truth of life: that sometimes, despite your best efforts, someone stronger will come along and crush you underfoot.

Karin knew nothing about this man, or even what village he was from, but right now they were comrades. She put her hand on top of his and took a closer look at his appearance. Unruly and untamed blonde hair stuck up in spikes, giving him a carefree look. A scarf wrapped around his throat and over the lower half of his face, concealing his expression. He was of slight build and his clothing hugged his body. Clearly he was a shinobi, but at that moment she couldn't bring herself to care.

She felt the urge to ask his name, but it seemed like if she broke the silence, the magic would disappear. Instead she buried her face into his chest and inhaled slowly, taking comfort in the closeness of someone who didn't want something from her. She could feel his hypnotic gaze on her as he awkwardly patted her back. Neither moved for a long while.

A shaky breath left Karin as she pulled away from Naruto. "Thank you." She whispered softly, releasing his hand. "I needed that.'

Naruto gave her a small but genuine smile and nodded. With one last glance, he left. He felt glad that he could be there for someone like no one had ever been there for him. He knew nothing about the Sound girl, but from what he'd heard, she was going through a tough situation. Tugging his hood back up over his hair, he headed back to his apartment thoughtfully. He was looking forward to the matches; the Exams had been too short for his tastes.

He was aware that it was necessary, because Orochimaru was after Sasuke. He remembered Naruko and Natsu's words about the Curse Seal and shuddered. It sounded horrible. And worse, he could picture Sasuke giving in to it. It was just the way the Uchiha was: power was his main focus above all else, even comrades.

He turned at a presence behind him. Sasuke was watching him impassively through onyx eyes. "We've been called back to the Tower. Guess they all finished earlier than expected."

Naruto nodded his assent. *Is Ino already there?*

Sasuke frowned. "No. We have to go get her now. Shunshin?"

Naruto gave him an incredulous look. *How many times today has that been?* he grumbled before taking Sasuke's shoulder and using the Shunshin. Ino looked up as they entered the flower shop.

"Already?" she mumbled, somewhat annoyed. Sasuke and Naruto both nodded. "All right, let's go."

Absently, Naruto tied his hitai-ate around his bicep. At his teammates' inquisitive looks, he argued. *Oh no. We're walking. I'm not using Shunshin _again_.*

Ino and Sasuke both narrowed their eyes at him, which he returned in kind.

Ino snorted. "Don't be such a princess, Naruto."

Rolling his eyes at both of his teammates, Sasuke gripped Naruto's shoulder. "Dobe. It's less work to Shunshin then walk. Just do it. We don't want to be late."

Naruto grumbled a few choice words under his breath as Ino grabbed his other shoulder. *This is the last time, seriously. You two already mooch off my chakra enough.* He used Shunshin to teleport them to the Tower. Kurenai-sensei was waiting for them. "It's good that you're on team." She complimented offhandedly as they gathered around her. "Too many people have passed this year. They're going to have to do Preliminary matches."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Ino wanted to know.

Naruto turned towards her. *The actual purpose of the Chuunin Exams is almost a pseudo-war. So if there are too many participants, the strongest ones will have it easy and there will be no interesting fights. For the actual Finals, they only want somewhere under fifteen participants. Right now, judging by the Genin milling around, there's somewhere near twenty five. Too many.*

Ino looked skeptical. "I guess that makes sense. I don't understand how you figure these things out though."

*Observation. And a crapload of Kage Bunshin reading constantly.* Naruto chortled.

Sasuke, who had been silent up until this time, spoke up. "So we just get an extra fight? Fine with me." Naruto felt the raven's gaze on him, and interpreted it. "Do we know who we're fighting yet?"

Kurenai shook her head. "No. They'll tell you all to line up in a few moments, and give you the match-ups then. Good luck in your fights, I know you all can win. Show them all what a great team you are. I doubt with this many participants any of you will have to fight a teammate, but know that if you do, just try your best. I expect all of you to be skilled enough to neutralize your opponents without killing. Is that understood?"

Team 8 nodded dutifully and moved to line up. Sasuke, of course, went to the front. Naruto let Ino follow him and took the back, scanning the participants. All of the Konoha 9 was here, along with Lee's team. Yugito's team, Karin's team, and Kabuto's team had all made it as well. The only team that Naruto knew nothing about was the Mist team. All three Mist Genin were masked and appeared slightly battered. They must have come in later, or run into trouble in the Forest. Orochimaru's Grass team was nowhere to be found.

A man in standard Konoha Jounin garb stepped forwards. "I am Hayate Gekko, the proctor of the Third Exam. You will be fighting one-on-one fights from this point onwards. If you feel you are not fit to fight, please notify me now." The sickly-looking man coughed.

Kabuto raised his hand. "I am out of chakra. I do not believe I can fight."

Hayate nodded once. "Please exit the Tower. Anyone else? No? Then the Third Exam begins now. I reserve the right to step in and stop the fight when I feel that there is a clear winner. Your match-ups will appear on the board above, and you will come to the arena floor and wait until I give you the go-ahead to begin your fight."

They all directed their attention to the electronic board, which was randomly shuffling names. The first match-up read: **Hyuuga** **Hinata vs. Kankurou**.

All the participants who had not been selected walked up to the balconies surrounding the arena. Hinata and Kankurou remained below, regarding each other. Sasuke and Ino were on either side of Naruto as Team 8 watched the match. "Who do you think will win?" Ino whispered to a solemn Naruto.

*Hinata.* Naruto answered almost immediately. It was easy for him to predict, as he knew of Kankurou's abilities. It was a bad match up for the puppet user.

Sasuke blinked in surprise. He would've guessed the Sand Genin would win. But if Naruto said the girl would win, he had best watch this match closely.

Kurenai suppressed a chuckle as Sasuke suddenly grew interested due to Naruto's words. "Hinata is a Hyuuga. Her kekkai genkai, the Byakugan, allows her to see her opponent's chakra points. The Jyuuken, her clan's Taijutsu, allows her to target tenketsu and shut down chakra flow throughout the body. She is a formidable opponent."

Ino's eyes brightened. She was looking forward to seeing the shy girl come out of her shell.

Hayate gave the go-ahead, and the fight began.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and instantly understood that "Kankurou" was actually a puppet. Timidly, she took her Jyuuken stance.

Kankurou was not aware of the Byakugan's abilities, so he remained wrapped in the bandages and directed his puppet to face Hinata.

*Mistake number one.* Naruto chuckled to his teammates and sensei.

Hinata smiled shakily. "U-um. I c-can see the p-puppet, Kankurou-san." She told him as she closed in and hit his chakra points.

Kankurou quickly jumped back out of her reach, trying to formulate a plan. The element of surprise was always his best weapon, and he'd lost that due to the Hyuuga's kekkai genkai. Close ranged attacks and Taijutsu was out of the question, and his Ninjutsu and Genjutsu arsenal was pathetic at best. He would have to go for ranged attacks with ninja tools. It was his only chance. His fingers wiggled, directing the puppet to release a barrage of poisoned weapons aimed at Hinata.

Hinata quickly dodged to the side and with a speed that Kankurou was unaware she possessed, executed a Jyuuken to his arms. The puppet fell limply to the floor, as Kankurou could no longer use his chakra to control it. His arms hung limply by his sides. Scowling, he turned to Hayate. "I give up. There is nothing else I can do to counter her."

Hayate nodded. "Winner: Hyuuga Hinata."

Chouji cheered for Hinata as she made her way back up the stairs toward her team. "Great job, Hinata! That was awesome!"

Shikamaru simply grumbled. "Troublesome. You should've tried to draw it out longer. Then I could sleep some more before my fight."

Kankurou walked up the opposite staircase and joined his siblings. Temari smirked at him, and Gaara simply stared impassively into the arena. Both Temari and Kankurou were surprised when Gaara spoke. "You did your best."

Kankurou's eyes widened. "Thanks, Gaara." He said, very unsure if it was the right response.

Gaara simply shrugged and kept staring forwards. The screen started to randomly select names again.

When the screen finally came to a stop, it read: **Inuzuka Kiba vs. Yamanaka Ino. **

Naruto gave his teammate a wide grin, not that she could see it. *Good luck, Ino. I know you can beat him!*

Kiba laughed loudly. "Oh man, this will be easy!" he boasted.

Ino narrowed her eyes at the dog lover. "You'll eat those words, dog-breath." She promised, with a thin and somehow sinister smile. She jumped over the railing and landed in a crouch on all fours. "Listen up, Forehead! Fix your eyes on this fight. I'll show you how much I've grown. I'll show you what a true kunoichi looks like!"

Naruto couldn't hold back a chuckle. Sasuke looked amused, as well. Unless Kiba had improved as drastically as Ino had, he was in for a surprise.

Standing, Ino walked towards Hayate and waited for the signal. Kiba and Akamaru faced her, grinning in a feral manner, assured of their own victory.

With a racking cough, Hayate signaled they could begin. "The fight can start." He said, coughing again.

Ino rushed in right away. Due to her training with Gai, she was extremely confident in her Taijutsu abilities, and rightly so. Kiba had always been more of a brawler type, mainly brute strength and little technique. Ino was _schooling _him.

After receiving a particularly nasty uppercut to the jaw, Kiba yelled, "Clearly you're asking for a beating! Prepare yourself, I'll show you my Clan's techniques! _Jūjin Bunshin_! Gatsuuga!"

Akamaru transformed into a Kiba look alike. Both crouched down on all fours, growling and looking extremely beast-like. The two ran spiraled toward Ino, intent on tearing her to shreds.

Ino just smirked back at them. "Hyakkaryōran." Her body dissolved into numerous petals which floated towards Kiba. The petals scored small cuts all over his body, and Akamaru's as well.

A deep slash cut across Kiba's chest as the petals flew back together. Ino's silhouette became visible again. She was holding two kunai dripping with blood. "Asking for a beating, am I?" she taunted the dog boy, a wide grin stretched across her face. Kiba had yet to land a hit on her, after all.

Making a strange seal with her hands, she called, "Genjutsu Binding!" Kiba froze in place, a dazed look on his face. He was unable to move as she entered his mind and immobilized him completely. "Shinranshin no Jutsu!" She forced Kiba to raise his hand and say, "I give up!"

Hayate coughed. "Winner: Yamanaka Ino."

Ino returned to her teammates, a triumphant grin upon her face. "Well done, Ino!" Kurenai congratulated her, grinning brightly.

"Thank you sensei! Did you see that?" She asked excitedly, turning bright eyes on Naruto.

He nodded. *You did excellent, Ino. Way to put dog breath in his place. Man, the girls are wiping the floor today. Serves them right for underestimating you, I suppose.*

Ino beamed at him. "Thanks…I know you and Sasuke-kun will win as well."

Sasuke gave Ino a halfhearted 'congratulations' as he turned his attention back to the center of the arena.

Naruto chuckled and his gaze slid sideways. Sakura was staring in awe at Ino, ignoring her defeated and complaining teammate as he protested receiving medical attention.

*You should go talk to Sakura in the future, Ino-chan.* Naruto encouraged. *Help her become stronger.*

Ino gave him a funny look. "Why would I do that?"

Naruto's eyes took on a tired look for a few moments before it cleared. *Because if she's unprepared, she could die. And even though you two are rivals, you're still friends.*

Ino sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'll find her after the Exams."

The board's next match-up appeared on the screen.

**Hyuuga Neji vs. Ito Shinseki**

Naruto watched as the Hyuuga prodigy and Karin's vulgar teammate met in the center of the arena and Hayate began the fight. It was rather one-sided, just as Hinata's fight had been. Neji had none of her mercy, however. He attacked vital points with the Jyuuken. It only took a few hits before Shinseki was on the floor, vomiting up blood. Hayate ended the match then and there before Neji could do any more damage. "Winner, Hyuuga Neji." The medics quickly toted Shinseki away on a stretcher.

Neji impassively returned to his team. The arena was in complete silence. Finally, Tenten uneasily congratulated her teammate on his win. He ignored her, turning his attention to the screen.

**Haruno Sakura vs. Uzumaki Naruto**

Naruto felt a very, very evil-looking grin spreading across his face as everyone looked around in confusion.

"Naruto? That idiot failed the Exam or something, didn't he?" Kiba protested loudly from his seated position on the left balcony.

Ino couldn't hold back her loud, hysterical laughter. "You only wish!" she crowed, looking forward to seeing "Forehead" get beaten into the ground.

Sakura had already walked down the stairs and into the center of the arena when Naruto vaulted over the railing, eyes alight with anticipation of the fight.

"_That's_ Naruto?" Chouji muttered in disbelief. Shikamaru's eyebrows nearly shot past his hairline. All the Konoha 9 (except Team 8) were mumbling to themselves and looking shocked.

Kakashi and Asuma seemed surprised as well. They knew Naruto as a competent shinobi, but the last they had heard, Naruto had suffered a crippling injury. Why was he fighting in the Exams?

The murmurs were interrupted when Sasuke laughed scornfully. "What a dobe, taking the entire spotlight. Finish up this fight quickly, Naruto. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can fight."

Naruto chuckled inwardly at Sasuke's jealousy. Strolling towards Hayate with one hand shoved into his pocket, he seemed entirely too casual. Almost lazily, he stretched his free hand up and tugged his hood back, revealing shocks of sleek golden hair tumbling down past his neck. Numerous intricate seals that looked like tattoos twisted over his arms, giving him an ethereal and almost otherworldly look. With the fluttering sound of cloth he pulled the scarf down from his face, revealing his whisker marks and lips, which were arranged into a very amused smirk.

First and foremost, all the others were surprised by his silence. Naruto had never been much of a social guy, but he at least liked to brag every once in a while. Everyone did. The fact that he hadn't said a word yet was impressive, and somewhat intimidating, as if they weren't even worth the effort to speak.

The females in the room were surprised by how different (and attractive) Naruto looked. Who knew there was actually a handsome guy beneath all that orange?

Shikamaru was somewhat relieved. The mystery surrounding Ino's teammate was now revealed. However, this 'new' Naruto had him somewhat worried. He of all people knew what it was like to hide your strength. It was what he grew up doing. The Naruto that stood before him now couldn't be a result of a few weeks of training. By a logical reasoning process, the only valid conclusion was that he had been hiding his strength the whole time, as well. This concerned Shikamaru immensely. Judging by the auras surrounding all the Genin present, Naruto was now one of the most dangerous. Shikamaru's eyes were riveted on the blonde in front of him, extremely pleased to be able to gather information about such an interesting subject.

Chouji, on the other hand, was surprised that the stranger he'd met at Ichiraku was Naruto. Did that mean that Naruto was mute? It would explain a lot, especially in the realm of why Asuma-sensei seemed so surprised to see the blonde. He glanced sideways at Shikamaru and saw that his longtime friend was captivated by the puzzle Naruto presented, and normally lazy eyes were glued to the center of the arena as if spellbound. With a shrug, he turned his eyes upon the two in the arena as well.

Ino and Sasuke both looked incredibly smug as they gauged the reactions of everyone in the arena. It was just _fun,_ for some odd reason, to be in on a secret that no one else knew.

Hinata was blushing like crazy. Shino looked as apathetic as ever, but even his attention was fixed on Naruto. Kiba looked mad, as if Naruto appearing suddenly had disrupted the order of the universe. Perhaps to him, it had. Sakura, on the other hand, just looked frightened. It was her who was fighting the enigmatic blonde, after all. She now knew next to nothing about his skill level.

Yugito was intrigued by Naruto's appearance. What was with the scars on his cheeks? The Two-Tails had been particularly interested in him before. Could he be a Jinchuuriki?

Gaara was watching Naruto with a soft smile on his face. Temari and Kankurou were too stunned by the look on Gaara's face to watch Naruto. They had expected a smile, yes, but a bloodthirsty one only. To see him smile like that…had something happened between their brother and this Uzumaki Naruto?

Karin was spellbound. She could now put a name to the face and was sad that Naruto was from Konoha, the village she would be waging war against in a short time. Her depression stemmed from the fact that she had truly wished to get to know the blonde better. Despite the fact that they were enemies, she was still interested to see how strong he was. He was on Uchiha Sasuke's team, wasn't he? Her ruby eyes studied Naruto with interest.

A certain Mist nin was grinning behind her mask. _Naruto-kun…You've gotten even stronger. I hope to show you that I have done the same._

Naruto's electric blue eyes gleamed with eagerness as he faced Sakura, muscles tensed in preparation for the fight. He watched Hayate closely, waiting for the match to begin. He wanted to make this match the quickest he'd ever fought. It would serve Sakura right for being such a disgrace to all kunoichi. Not to mention he didn't want to give away too many of his skills with the Sound and Sand nin watching.

Bouncing lightly on his feet, his mind ran over his options. He could end it quickly by using his most powerful move, shocking everyone into staying away from him, he could show nothing and beat Sakura in Taijutsu (which would be far too easy, in Naruto's opinion), or he could win in an extremely baffling matter and make sure that no one understood what had happened. He preferred the last. It would make them wary of what he could do, yet they would have no concrete idea of his skill set.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hayate finally spoke. "The match of Haruno Sakura vs. Uzumaki Naruto begins now."

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><p><strong>Hyakkaryōran: One Thousand Flower Petals Dance - Releases many flower petals from a sleeve. These petals will flow through the air and circle around her target Ino will then move through the flowers, making it seem like she would dissolve into petals, using them as a wall so that her target cannot see incoming attacks.<strong>

**Shinranshin no Jutsu: ****Mind Body Disturbance Technique – Sends user's chakra into opponent's body, disrupting their chakra system and enabling the user to control their body. **


	21. Chapter 20: Chuunin Exams Pt 2

{{ What have I become  
>My sweetest friend<br>Everyone I know goes away  
>In the end<br>And you could have it all  
>My empire of dirt<br>I will let you down  
>I will make you hurt<p>

~Hurt by Johnny Cash }}

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><p><strong>AN: Wheeeeeeeeeee~ **

***ehem* Just had to get that out of my system. Yes, I'm very excited about this chapter! And I also wanted you to pardon my strange sense of humor. If you think I'm weird, it's probably because it's true. And if you don't even notice my strange little jokes, well….how disappointing. Besides that, I hope you enjoy…-laughs- and yes, I made up last names for Haku and Karin, because….well, just because. **

**If you run across an unfamiliar jutsu, there's a list at the bottom. X) **

**Last but not least, a few reviewers have been asking for omakes. So, if you'd like to see omakes, submit a few things you'd like to see. I'm not funny enough to make them myself without spending a lot of time thinking them up. So….send me an idea, and I'll do my best to write it. –evil chuckle- I look forward to seeing your creativity…and writing strange things.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20: Chuunin Exams Pt. 2<strong>

Naruto quickly calculated his next move. _Baffling, but undetectable._ He repeated the mantra over and over in his head, trying to come up with a plan before Sakura made the first move.

A smirk settled over his face. _Perfect._ Everyone inside the arena felt a sudden chill, and the air itself began to grow heavy. An invisible maelstrom began to gather around Naruto as he drew in the Nature Chakra, preparing himself for a large jutsu that could possibly cause damage to himself. He knew what he would do, and it was something that needed to be done….if only for Sakura's sake.

Meshing all his fingers together, arms at a ninety degree angle, Naruto formed a seal that not one person in all the spectators had ever seen before.

Even Shikamaru couldn't understand what was happening, but he knew one thing for sure: whatever jutsu Naruto was preparing, he sure wouldn't want to be on the end of it.

The ground trembled as Naruto pulled more and more Nature Chakra towards himself. The more of his own chakra that he used, the more dangerous this jutsu was. He was pulling the chakra from the Earth itself in an attempt to preserve his own. Finally feeling as if he had absorbed enough, he whispered mentally, through the seals, *Ninpo: Metsubou.*

The shinobi sensitive to chakra all felt as if they'd been punched in the gut. Karin, being a sensory type, looked a little green. The wave of nature chakra, invisible to everyone but Naruto, crashed into Sakura. The girl had no defense to speak of, and was helpless against the imperceptible attack. Naruto opened his mind and let just the smallest amount of his suffering loose…

_Sakura looked around in fear, finding herself engulfed in utter darkness. The sound of voices reached her ears, and a dim light slow stretched towards her, lighting up the surrounding area. Dank and grimy, she realized she was in an alley. A mob surrounded someone, cursing and yelling. "Die, demon!" "Useless piece of scum!" "Why is it_ _still alive?" "That monster…it shouldn't be allowed to roam the streets freely!" The whispers reached Sakura's ears and she cringed, feeling a sudden intense pain and smoldering anger. When she laid eyes upon the person being tormented, it all came rushing back to her. She'd been fighting Naruto. That meant….this was his Genjutsu? She tried her best to dispel it, shouting "Kai!" for all she was worth. Nothing seemed to work. _

_/You can't escape, child./ __A voice startled Sakura, seeming to come from outside the Genjutsu. __/Watch, and feel. Feel the same anguish that Naruto does. Maybe then you will understand. Perhaps then, you will lose your naïve principles./_

_Sakura stared in shock at the small boy, who was quite obviously a younger version of Naruto. He was whimpering and crying, but the mob just laughed and jeered. Bruises littered his face, and he looked scared, thin, and ragged. She watched, horrified, as the crowd descended on the small boy and began to beat him to a bloody pulp. Hours later, the crowd left. Naruto was curled into a ball, tears and blood streaming down his gaunt face. Sakura's heart nearly broke when she heard him croak, "No….Don't leave me alone…" _

_The scene switched; this time, Naruto was standing outside a store, sprawled onto the ground as if he'd just been thrown out. People were gathered around, whispering and glaring at the blonde boy. "Don't come back, demon. You're a waste of air!" Something was thrown and Naruto, and it struck him with a loud thwack. Sakura's eyes widened in repulsion when she saw it was a rock. Blood trickled down Naruto's scalp, and he had to close his left eye to keep the blood out. He looked miserable, sitting there bleeding in the street. No one made a move to help him out; a few people in the crowd even laughed. Naruto's shoulders hunched inwards and his head drooped. Gathering what little dignity he had left, he stood and hobbled away from the store, and the crowd with eyes full of hate. _

_Another memory—for Sakura now understood that this was no ordinary Genjutsu, it was Naruto's memories—surfaced. The fact that she was in this one shocked her to the core. "Sasuke-kuuuun!" she heard a younger Sakura squeal. She recognized this day. It was the first day they'd entered the Academy. She watched in shock as the memory unfolded. This time around, though, she could hear Naruto's thoughts and feelings. _

"_My name is Haruno Sakura, Sasuke-kun! Can we have lunch together?" The younger Sakura batted her eyes and spoke in what she believed to be a cutesy voice. _

"_No." Sasuke replied. "I'd rather not." He spoke politely instead of coldly, and Sakura realized with a pang that this was before the Uchiha Massacre had taken place. _

_Naruto, sitting on Sasuke's far side, smiled at her in a friendly way. "Hi Sakura-chan! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! If you'd like, I'll eat lunch with you!" 'Sakura-chan is really pretty! I hope we can be friends! She seems really nice. Maybe….maybe she's different than everyone else.'_

_Sakura's eyes watered. She knew what was coming up next… "Okay, Sasuke-kun! Maybe another time." She completely ignored Naruto and returned to her seat next to Hinata. _

_A crushing wave of sadness filled her heart, and she saw Naruto fighting back tears. Even worse, not a single person in the classroom noticed, not even Sasuke, who was sitting right beside Naruto. 'She's just the same as everyone else. I shouldn't have hoped; I know better. Why…why am I all alone? Why do I exist, if they all look right through me? It hurts…..'_

_Sakura was sobbing by this point, feeling every pinprick of the agony Naruto felt. She couldn't believe Naruto had felt like this over something she didn't even remember doing, and had never apologized for. _

_A flurry of scenes passed by: Naruto receiving repeated beatings, being mocked by the villagers and his classmates, and most painful of all, being completely ignored. Every passing scene was like a stab to Sakura's heart. Had he felt this way all along? Was he really all alone? What would she be like now if she had been treated like this? Naruto showed nothing of his current life, but instead chose their Academy years to prove his point. She saw every little painful detail of how badly her friends and classmates had treated him. The memories sped up in a crescendo: scornful laughter and Naruto's grief-stricken crying the soundtrack. Covering her ears and sobbing hysterically, Sakura screamed in pain. 'Make it end….Naruto! Make it end…..' _

As if comprehending she'd had enough, Naruto pulled his memories back into himself. His face was blank and expressionless.

From a spectator's point of view, all of this had taken place within a span of about five seconds. Naruto had performed some large, unseen jutsu, Sakura had fallen to the floor screaming and crying, and the pink-haired girl had passed out. Naruto watched coldly, eyes flat.

Everyone stared in amazement, having no clues as to what had just happened. Kiba broke the silence. Wide-eyed, he blurted, "Holy crap! What just happened?" Murmurs broke out through the Genin and Jounin watching, and even Naruto's own team looked baffled as to what had just happened.

"Haruno-san is no longer fit to fight. The winner is Uzumaki Naruto." Hayate said, somewhat pointlessly.

Naruto wordlessly walked up the stairs to join his team, watching Kakashi hurry to Sakura's side. The Jounin sensei knelt down to examine his student, but found no perceptible injuries. "What did you do to her, Naruto?" Kakashi questioned, glaring at Naruto. "She isn't waking up."

Naruto didn't answer as he stared coldly at Kakashi. Those eyes….even his father's student looked at him like that. He hated it.

Ino broke out of her stupor. "Hey, leave him alone! Naruto won the match, and Sakura's not injured. End of story." Sasuke's eyes were locked onto Naruto, intense. Naruto ignored both of his teammates, a little too upset to do anything at this moment. The things he'd shown Sakura still hurt.

*Good fight. Congratulations on the win.* A toneless voice spoke to Naruto via the seal.

Naruto smiled across the room at Gaara, feeling an immense surge of gratitude towards the redhead. Gaara didn't know what he had done either, but took everything in stride calmly and rationally. *Thank you. My clones were working on your seal all day. By the time we're done here, it should be ready.*

*Understood.* their conversation ceased, but Naruto was glad he'd given Gaara the seal. It was nice to talk to someone who just accepted you and didn't ask questions.

The medics arrived to carry Sakura off, and with a heated glare aimed at Naruto, Kiba left with them.

Shikamaru was frantically trying to piece together what he'd just seen, but he didn't have enough information to reach a conclusion. This was…troublesome.

Kurenai-sensei patted Naruto's back as he reached his team. With a concerned look, she asked, "What kind of jutsu was that, Naruto?"

*A psychological attack. She'll wake up in a few hours.* Naruto replied simply.

To an outside observer, it appeared as if Naruto had ignored his sensei and not answered her question. Many frowned at his behavior, but Naruto didn't even care. They could glare all they liked; he was used to it.

Hayate cleared his throat, and their attention was drawn to the board where the next matchups were already written. Aburame Shino vs. Yamato Kaito.

A mist nin and Shino both walked down to the center of the arena. Hayate began the fight. Not many people watched closely. They were still thinking about Naruto and Sakura's fight.

The fight was, again, rather one-sided. At first it seemed as if the Mist nin was getting the best of Shino, but Naruto knew the bug user was only baiting Kaito into a trap. Kaito had a strange ability, it seemed as if he would always appear with perfect timing to strike in your blind spot. But it was a bad matchup for the Mist nin. Shino's bugs sucked his chakra dry, and the fight was over. Kaito couldn't move, but he was still conscious.

Hayate grumbled something under his breath about 'those freaky Aburame'. "Yamato Kaito is not in a state fit to continue battle. Winner: Aburame Shino."

Kaito's teammates helped him back to the balcony. He was not injured, just drained of chakra. Shino walked up the steps and stood to watch. After his match, Kakashi had disappeared to check on Sakura, so he stood by himself.

Naruto gave the bug user a solemn nod of congratulations, which Shino returned.

Everyone watched the display with comically wide eyes. The two silent weirdoes were having a wordless conversation! It was almost scary.

Hayate coughed, returning everyone's attention to the actual Exam. The board read: Gaara vs. Rock Lee

Naruto squashed down his grin and pulled up his scarf over his face again. He didn't mind smiling when people couldn't see it. To Gaara, he spoke. *Do your best. Rock Lee is a Taijutsu expert. Don't underestimate him because of his….eccentric qualities.*

Gaara nodded to Naruto, and everyone went bug-eyed again. Naruto tried not to cackle through the seal. That would be weird, after all. But it was amusing that everyone thought Naruto was some kind of silent-man leader.

Chouji's eyes were bugged out bizarrely. 'What is this, the Silent-Man better-than-you?' he ranted to himself.

After all, Shino, Naruto, and Gaara hadn't spoken a word the entire time they'd been here. It was rather amusing.

Lee was excitedly boasting to Neji, Tenten, and Gai-sensei. "YOSH! I will show my youthfulness to the world! I am burning with the flames of youth! OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Twin flames appeared in Lee's eyes.

Gai-sensei enveloped his student in a slightly disturbing hug, tears streaming down his frightening face. "LEEEE! The time has come for my cute student to showcase his youthful talents! Do well, Lee! Show everyone here your most youthful fighting spirit!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

Naruto, Tenten, Ino, Neji, and all the Jounin quickly looked away, for they knew the horror that was coming.

As for the rest of them….those poor, poor Genin.

The horrible sunset Genjutsu appeared, and Lee and Gai hugged each other, both crying hysterically.

Sasuke's eye twitched as he stared in repulsion at the display. *You two have been training with _this_ guy?*

*Yup.* Ino and Naruto shot back, amused at Sasuke's twitching. The stoic Uchiha was less stoic than he thought.

Sasuke stared in revolted wonder. *Perhaps you're both stronger than I imagined…..*

*Perhaps?* Naruto snorted back.

Hayate cleared his throat from the center arena, snapping Lee and Gai back into reality. "Fight, Lee!" Gai yelled, shoving Lee over the balcony. Lee landed with a huge crater.

Gai struck a disturbing pose, legs apart and hands on his head. "OH NO! I have given away my youthful student's most hidden secret! Despite this, show them the springtime of your youth, Lee!" Gai gave Lee a teeth-sparkling thumbs-up.

Lee returned the gesture. "Do not worry, Gai-sensei! My secret being found out will not deter my youthful fighting spirit! Yosh!"

"YES! Leeee!" Before the two could launch into another sunset Genjutsu, Hayate quickly spoke up. "The match begins now."

'The crater….he's wearing extremely heavy weights.' Gaara watched Lee carefully, arms folded across his chest.

Lee made the first move. He ran at Gaara, attempting to engage him in a Taijutsu battle. The sand repelled all of Lee's attacks. Lee kept trying, but he couldn't hit Gaara.

Naruto finally started paying attention when Lee discarded his weights. They made an even larger crater in the ground where Lee had fallen in the first place.

Due to Lee's sudden speed boost, Gaara's sand couldn't keep up. Lee's fists marred Gaara's face. For the first time in his life, Gaara's blood spilled.

The voices in his head were going into a frenzy. _Kill, kill, blood, blood! _They screamed, but for once, Gaara ignored them. His gaze landed on Naruto for a few seconds.

Lee took the opening. "Gate of Opening! Omote Renge!"

Lee used his move to ram Gaara into the ground. Unfortunately, Gaara quickly substituted himself with a Sand Bunshin.

Sending a glance towards Gai-sensei, Lee began to yell. "Gate of Healing: Open! Gate of Life: Open! Gate of Pain: Open! Gate of Limit: Open!" Lee's face turned red and he became a blur of speed. "Ura Renge!" Lee repeated this move over and over, trying to get Gaara to stay down.

The redhead, however, had no intention of being beaten. As he fell to the ground, he dispersed the sand in his gourd to break his fall. His face began to crack, revealing his sand armor. He started to use Sabaku Kyuu, the realized that it could possibly be fatal for Lee. Instead, he murmured, "Fūton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa." A great wind blew from Gaara's mouth, mixed with the sand on the ground, and slammed Lee back into the wall. "Gokusa Maisō." A great wave of sand rushed towards Lee and buried him up to his head in the ground. Lee couldn't move due to the pressure of the sand on his muscles, even with Fives Gates open.

Seeing Lee was unable to move, Hayate called the match. "Rock Lee cannot move and therefore cannot fight. The Winner is Gaara."

Gaara swept his sand back into his gourd, releasing Lee from his captivity, and returned to his siblings' side. Lee, looking a little downcast, rejoined his team as well.

The board spun again, landing on two names. Uchiha Sasuke vs. **Yoroi Akadō**

Sasuke gave Naruto the widest grin Naruto had seen him display, ever. "I'll fight you soon, Naruto. I just have to pummel this guy into the ground first."

Kabuto's teammate jumped down into the arena, meeting Sasuke in the center.

Hayate sighed and coughed. "The match begins now."

Yoroi immediately rushed towards Sasuke and began stealing Sasuke's chakra through his hands.

Sasuke wilted as he felt his chakra slipping away. What a dirty way to fight!

The match seemed hopeless for Sasuke, until he heard Naruto snickering in his head. *Was that all talk, teme? You're looking pretty weak right now.*

Sasuke glared up at Naruto, eyes sparking with annoyance. His eyes shifted sideways. Next to Naruto stood Rock Lee, which gave Sasuke an idea. Remembering Lee's earlier Lotus, he attempted to copy the move from what he had seen earlier with his Sharingan. "Shishi Rendan!"

Sasuke performed the Taijutsu combo, and Yoroi was knocked unconscious.

*What a lame way to win. You totally stole Lee's only move. You know how rude that is? So lame.* Naruto said mildly enough to be irritating.

Sasuke resisted the urge to growl as he picked himself up off of Kabuto's comatose teammate and stalked back to Naruto. "Shut up." He hissed at his teammate, looking livid. "I won, didn't I?"

Shikamaru had definitely had enough. "OKAY! This is too troublesome! What is up with you, Naruto! Stop holding wordless conversations with everyone! It's irritating and hard to decipher!"

Naruto slowly turned toward Shikamaru, almost threateningly. His eyes were very, very narrow. He turned towards Sasuke. *Tell him I'll speak with him later. I don't want to talk here.*

Sasuke relayed the message.

Shikamaru tried to keep the aggravation off his face. Honestly, what was with the silent communication? It was really starting to bug him!

Naruto was trying not to snicker at Shikamaru's face, but it was tremendously difficult.

The medics had cleared Yoroi from the floor, and the next matchup flashed on the screen: Yugito vs. Masaru Hikaru

Another masked Mist nin jumped down. Naruto felt as if the Mist team was very smart, but not very strong. The team leader, the one who had yet to fight, had a vaguely familiar feeling about her.

Yugito looked bored as she jumped down as well. Naruto felt as if this would be an easy match for her, and he was right.

She grew claws from her fingernails, and the match was over in minutes. It had started as a Taijutsu brawl, and with Yugito's claws, she had the definite advantage.

Hikaru had an interesting ability, as well. Every shinobi had their special talents, after all. Hikaru was able to send waves of chakra that crippled the senses for short amount of time. Unfortunately for her, Yugito had another set of 'eyes' that she couldn't reach.

Holding her claws to Hikaru's throat, Yugito forced her to surrender.

"Winner: Yugito Nii."

The board spun in circles and began flashing with bright colors. The Sandaime groaned and buried his face in his hands. There was a peculiar snickering noise, and Naruto had the sudden feeling that Konohamaru lurked somewhere close by.

Nara Shikamaru vs. Ryota Yori

Shikamaru let loose a bored sigh. "Maan, how troublesome. I have to fight a women."

Yori, a Sound nin, glared a Shikamaru. 'What a lazy bones. Do I really have to fight this slouch?'

Shikamaru sighed and began languidly strolling down the stairs. It took him a few minutes to actually reach the arena floor.

Sluggishly, Shikamaru yawned. Ino groaned. "He's so annoying! Sometimes I just want to punch his face in. What a useless shinobi."

Chouji's face grew slightly red. "Don't say that about Shikamaru! He's really, really smart!"

Naruto seconded this. *He may be lazy, but he is a genius. Don't underestimate the laggard.*

Ino sighed. That seemed to be Naruto's favorite phrase lately. "Fine." She agreed.

Chouji smiled, and didn't reply.

The match began. Yori was extremely talented with Kinjutsu, and Shikamaru had to block all her attacks with a kunai.

Yori didn't even see it coming. Shikamaru executed his plan perfectly. One second they were fighting, the next Yori was banging her head on the wall and was unconscious.

There was dead silence. If it had been night time you would've heard crickets chirping. "Winner: Nara Shikamaru."

Naruto chuckled to himself. *Good win, Shika. Good win.*

He turned back to the screen and was instantly flabbergasted.

Karei Haku vs. Yuuto Sora

Haku was _here?_ Sure, he'd told her to join a Hidden Village, but….a bright grin lit up his features. Haku removed her mask and jumped down in the arena to face Yugito's teammate. Her eyes lifted to Naruto, and they exchanged glances.

Naruto wished beyond anything else that he could say something to her to encourage her, but it was not possible for him. At least Haku knew that he couldn't speak, and wouldn't be angry.

Haku spoke, straight to Naruto. "I will show you how strong I've become, Naruto-kun." Her hazel eyes held a great determination, and Naruto smiled back at her and nodded.

Sasuke frowned. She had been at Wave, with Zabuza…why was she speaking to Naruto? When they'd fought the first time, Naruto had known this girl. What was between them?

Ino looked confused, too. She hadn't known Haku or Naruto had any sort of connection, but the two were looking at each other like no one else was in the arena. It was clear to Ino that Haku liked Naruto. She was a women and things like this were ones she instinctively knew. Naruto, on the other hand, was watching for Haku's strength and was oblivious. _Men. _

Shikamaru sighed from where he was, looking bored. "Troublesome. I thought Sasuke was the one with all the fangirls?" He muttered to Chouji.

Chouji smiled in return. "Well, Naruto is very strong. I wouldn't want to fight him."

The Cloud nin sneered at Haku. "Showing off for your boyfriend? This should be an easy fight."

Hayate sighed. "You may begin…" he coughed.

Haku quickly blasted through a rapid set of seals. "Kirigakure no Jutsu." The mist covered the entire arena floor, obscuring the battle from sight. Naruto quickly placed a Genjutsu over his features and activated his Kitsune Sage mode, eager to see the fight. With the enhanced senses, it was possible.

He smiled softly as he saw Haku attacking with senbon. That much, at least, hadn't changed. Sora, Yugito's teammate, was very strong. Naruto, however, knew better than anyone of Haku's strength. He suspected Haku wouldn't use her kekkei genkai, and he was right. _She must be saving it for the finals_, he decided.

By this point Haku had already struck several of Sora's vital points with her senbon. Sora seemed angry that he was gradually getting bested by a kunoichi. _Ah, male pride. It is fortunate I possess very little._ Naruto mused to himself, entertained.

Although Haku possessed very little physical strength, she was very smart. Her caring for her friends did not keep her from attacking complete strangers with ferocity. Sora, on the other hand, seemed to have no strategy whatsoever other than beating Haku into the ground.

The Mist kunoichi took several hard hits from the Cloud nin, but Naruto knew that it wouldn't deter her from winning in the in. Haku was strong enough to take a few hits and still come out the victor.

When the mist finally spread out, Haku was the clear victor. Sora was sprawled on the floor, a senbon in his neck. Naruto couldn't hold back a smirk. A near death state? Haku had nice aim.

Hayate grumbled something to himself which Naruto didn't catch. "Winner: Karei Haku."

The medics wheeled Sora out, and Haku walked up the stairs. She stopped in front of Naruto and spoke softly, so that the whole arena couldn't hear. "Naruto-kun. I will see you in the finals."

Naruto smirked and nodded. He met Haku's eyes, and she read what they were saying. _Good fight, Haku. It's nice to see you again. _

She smiled again, and with a bow, returned to her teammates.

"Dobe, how do you know her?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask.

*I met her in the forest when I was sleeping out there. Then we fought. Though she killed you several times…. She is a good person.* Naruto tried to refrain from laughing at Sasuke's expression. He looked pissed.

"How can you say that when she killed me?" Sasuke hissed quietly, eyes narrowed.

Naruto chuckled. *Because it's true. And I saved you, didn't I?*

Sasuke grumbled something very quietly, and Naruto's hypersensitive ears picked it up. "Yeah. But it won't happen again."

Temari vs. Tenten

Naruto snickered. *Chick fight!* he informed Sasuke, looking amused.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You amaze me with your immaturity sometimes." He sighed.

The two boys watched dispassionately as Tenten hurled hundreds of weapons at the blonde wind mistress, only to get slammed into her giant fan and lose.

*Well, that was boring. I guess I should help Tenten out later. She needs some Ninjutsu, man.* Naruto ranted to Sasuke, just because it annoyed the raven.

"Hn. I don't care." Sasuke frowned.

*Sasuke-ese translation: Train with me instead. Just say it, teme. I can read your face like a book.* Naruto laughed at the dismayed expression that crossed Sasuke's face for about a tenth of a second.

"Hn." Sasuke finally said.

Naruto rolled his eyes. When Sasuke got into the 'hn' stage and wouldn't say anything else, it was best to leave him alone.

"Winner: Temari." Tenten limped up the steps, scowling. She wouldn't even look at her teammates as she took a seat against the wall and glowered at the floor.

Temari looked to Gaara, wondering if he would say anything to her, too. Seeing her glance, he gave her a small smile. "Good fight."

Her eyes widened, and she smiled back. "Thank you." She said sincerely.

Naruto watched this scene with a faint air of satisfaction about him. It looks like Gaara had really changed. One extra problem off his plate.

Naruto quickly grew bored with the next match. One of Kabuto's teammates fought Yugito's teammate. Neither shinobi had a standout performance, so Naruto decided to observe the Jounin milling around instead. Kakashi and Kiba still hadn't appeared. Naruto let loose a long sigh. He might have to find Tsunade-sama later and send her Sakura's way. He thought Sakura, as a kunoichi, would've been at least strong enough to handle a few memories. Guess he was wrong.

The match seemed to drag on forever before it was announced as a draw. Naruto rolled his eyes. All that time for a draw? How stupid. The two ninja were pulled from the arena, and Naruto let loose a gusty sigh. Finally, the last fight of the day. Glancing around he saw that Chouji and Karin were the only two left to fight. Sure enough….

Akimichi Chouji vs. Izumi Karin

Naruto watched them both take their places in the arena. He knew nothing about Karin's fighting style, but the rest of her team had been rather weak. She had to be at least somewhat strong for her team to have made it this far.

Hinata poked her fingers together timidly. "D-do your b-best, Chouji-kun." Chouji gave her a sincere smile in return. Shikamaru only yawned, but Chouji knew he was watching closely.

Hayate signaled they could begin the fight. "Start."

Karin made the first move. "Kagura Shingan." She used this technique often, as it allowed her to keep track of her opponents, no matter if she could see them or not. Plus, it prevented her from being trapped in Genjutsus. Her intelligent eyes watched Chouji closely, knowing nothing of his techniques.

Chouji immediately retaliated. "Baika no Jutsu ! Nikudan Sensha!" Chouji grew larger and formed into a giant ball, spinning towards Karin.

Karin leapt to the side, landing gracefully. She didn't have many Ninjutsu, so she was going to have to play this right. Reaching behind her, she drew out a small flask and opened it. "Suiton: Suiben!" A small stream of water formed a whip and lashed towards Chouji, winding around his body and bringing him to a stop. "Denpō Sekka." Karin slammed her hands into the ground. This was one of her best combos: it didn't take much chakra, and it could only be done by someone who understood ionization and charges.

The reason for that was that Denpō Sekka was a Raiton technique, but instead of creating actual lightning, Karin simply changed the charges of molecules by stealing electrons. It was much simpler, and required a lesser amount of chakra.

Chouji slumped to the ground, twitching. Karin took a sigh of relief. She hadn't used too many techniques, and still could make it to the finals. Orochimaru-sama would be proud…a smile crept onto her face.

She frowned in annoyance when Chouji stood up again, looking very shaky. The Akimichi's face was puckered in pain, but he didn't seem to be giving up.

So Karin turned to the thing she was next best at: medical Ninjutsu. She pulled a scalpel from her weapons pouch. Moving as nimbly as she could, she ducked towards Chouji and attempted to sever a muscle critical for movement.

Chouji was too unsteady to dodge. His legs crumpled beneath him as Karin went for his knees.

Chouji looked to Hayate. "I give up. I can't move without damaging myself further."

Hayate nodded. "Winner: Izumi Karin."

Shikamaru sighed. "The opponent took it easy on him…" he drawled.

Asuma laughed. "He lost, but I guess I can take him to eat barbecue."

Chouji immediately brightened up. "Meat!" he said happily.

Hayate took a few steps back from the cracked arena floor. "That concludes the Second Exam's preliminary matches. To those who have made it to the main matches of the Chuunin Exam's Third Exam, congratulations." He paused to cough.

The Hokage stepped forwards. "I will now begin the explanation for the main matches. Your main match fights will be shown in front of everyone. We wish for all of you to show off your abilities as your country's representative power. Therefore, the main matches will begin in one month. This will give us a period to announce to the feudal lords and head ninja of individual countries that the preliminary matches have ended, and time is needed to gather those people for the main matches. This is also preparation time for you candidates. Please use this time to know your enemy and yourself better. It is a time to analyze the information you have gathered during the preliminary matches. The battles we had were just like real combat situations. There are those who have revealed everything to their rivals, and those who held back your techniques for the finals." The Hokage spared a discreet look at Naruto, who grinned back. So even the Hokage didn't understand what he did? Snazzy. Probably only Jiraiya could've; he was the only one who knew of nature chakra, after all.

"I hope you will use your time to train well. I will see you in one month. You are dismissed. For those who did not win their preliminary matches, do not be discouraged. You are all young and have plenty of time to get stronger, as well. Please train hard, and take the Exams again next time. I wish each Genin the best of luck in the future." With a slight nod of acknowledgement, the Hokage left, Hayate, Ibiki, and Anko trailing after him.

Naruto looked to Kurenai right away. *Do we have a team meeting, or can we leave?*

Kurenai shook her head. "You can leave. We'll meet tomorrow; normal place, normal time. Congratulations to all of you for passing. I will speak to you about training at our meeting tomorrow."

Naruto grinned. *Good. Cuz Shikamaru's coming for me. I must flee. See you later!* With a wave Naruto used a Shunshin to escape the nosy cloud-watching boy.

Shikamaru let loose a frustrated sigh. Naruto got away! Troublesome…..

Ino and Sasuke both couldn't suppress a snort. They turned to leave as well. Kurenai looked after her students, smiling. _They _were_ ready….I'm very proud of them._

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><p><strong>Ninpo: Metsubou – Ninja Art: Utter Ruin (basically, it takes the user's feelings of pain, rejection, and sorrow and turns it into a psychological attack. The only physical sign of the jutsu's effects is the three days after the jutsu is used, the victim will throw up anything they ingest.<strong>

**Omote Renge – Primary Lotus: After the First Gate is opened;** **the user launches the opponent into the air and then uses ****Shadow of the Dancing Leaf****. Once behind the opponent, the user restrains them and pile-drives them into the ground head first while rotating at a ferocious speed.**

**Ura Renge – Reverse Lotus: After the Third Gate is opened; the user launches the target into the air and strikes them at inhuman speed before hitting them with one arm and one foot, sending the target crashing into the ground. This is usually fatal due to the speed and power behind the attack.**

**Fūton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa - Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud Great Breakthrough: Gaara first inhales air, and then blows it out along with a chakra-coated ****sand**** cloud. **

**Gokusa Maisō - Prison Sand Burial: Gaara uses his ability to manipulate ****sand****, loosens the ground below his enemy and catches them in a maelstrom of sand. The swallowed enemy sinks up to two hundred meters underground, while completely unable to move a muscle.**

**Shishi Rendan - ****Lion Combo****: Sasuke's knockoff of Lee's Primary Lotus. **

**Kagura Shingan – Mind's Eye of the Kagura:** **This ability allows ****Karin**** to find, sense, and track individuals through their chakra over vast range that exceeds ten kilometers. The ability extends to telling when a person is lying from the fluctuations in a person's chakra made from dishonest emotions or detecting if someone, including herself, is under a ****Genjutsu****. Also by focusing on a particular chakra Karin can perceive its location and movement with great detail.**

**Baika no Jutsu – Multi-Size Technique: Increases the user's body size by converting their calories into** **chakra. The user can freely alter their size at will when using this technique and can use it for an extensive period of time.**

**Nikudan Sensha – Human Bullet Tank:** **Converts the user's obese frame into a destructive weapon; the user tucks their limbs in and uses chakra to propel themselves into a powerful roll. Its effective use of weight and the force of rotation make for an even greater lethality than appearances would let on, enough to pulverize someone's hand with but a mere touch. It is difficult for the user to turn in this form.**

**Suiton: Suiben – Water Release: Water Whip: The user creates a whip made of water that can wrap around the opponent. The user can also ****channel****lightning**** chakra to shock anyone wrapped in it.**

**Denpō Sekka – Telegram Flash: The user slams their hand onto the ground and causes lightning to spread from the hand to underneath the opponent.**


	22. Chapter 21: Lull

{{We will fight cause it's side by side that we will live  
>Or we will die, close your eyes<br>Breathe it in here, it's time now  
>We must all decide<br>I see a million fists in the air  
>We'll leave behind a world that never cared<br>I see a million fists in the air, we'll leave behind a world that never cared

~One and All by Nine Lashes}}

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, I have to tell you something that just made my day. When I first started writing this chapter, I was writing it on my phone. And, when I typed Uchiha, my phone wanted to change it to Chihuahua. –starts laughing hysterically- SO FUNNY! **

**If you don't think that's funny, sorry. But honestly…it's funny. **

**Also, I was gonna say one more thing. I had decided on a Naruto/Karin pairing, but I've might have changed my mind. Because, um, apparently Karin is an Uzumaki. x) ...So yeah. I guess you guys will just have to wait and see on the pairing. ;) **

**The end of this chapter, you'll might have to deal with some jutsu names in English. I can't connect to the Internet (without paying) so I won't worry too much about it. On that note, I **_**absolutely hate it**_** how most hotels make you pay for Internet these days. It's just not right!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: Lull<strong>

Now that the fights were over, Naruto had time to analyze all the information he had received. With a soundless sigh, he made a few Kage Bunshin and Henged them into birds, sending them to his working clones…He needed them to dispel before he contacted Gaara. It would be dumb to send for the redhead only to realize he still had work to do, after all. While he waited, he wondered who he would face in the Finals. There was a good chance he would be fighting his teammates and people who could possibly become his friends.

Shikamaru, Shino, Yugito. Haku, Gaara, Sasuke. Ino, Temari, Karin. Lee, Neji. Really, the only ones he would like to fight were Neji and Temari, simply because he had no feelings, negative or positive, associated with them. The odds were not good for him, though. It was highly unlikely that he would fight Neji and Temari out of all the participants.

He grew thoughtful as the 20 clones that had been sparring dispelled. A pleased smile made its way across his face. He was well on his way to creating a Taijutsu style of his own. With Kurou's input, it was going well.

Almost immediately following that, the 10 clones that had been wandering the streets dispelled. He smiled again; there was a lot of progress here, too. Though much of what he learned would seem useless to shinobi, such as dancing, bargaining, and cooking, Naruto valued all knowledge. In fact, perhaps he could incorporate the dancing into his Taijutsu somehow…

Next came the clones in the library. These were the ones who had been working on Gaara's seal. Sure enough, as he'd guessed they were finished. In fact, they had finished several hours before. After that, what they'd found made him want to cackle with glee.

He could draw seals with chakra alone! It seemed so novel to Naruto, as he always associated sealing with ink and intricate designs. With his nature chakra, he would have nigh limitless sealing energy. The things he could do… He was interrupted from his daydreams by the rest of the clones dispelling.

The ones who had ventured outside Konoha learned nothing noteworthy other than local news, but the others had finally perfected a medical jutsu he'd been working on for months. It was not high ranked, but instead very tedious to learn, due to the precise chakra control required. Healing jutsus were something that Naruto had overlooked before, but taking on difficult missions with a team that he trusted with his own life would no doubt end with a few injuries. He didn't want to be ill prepared.

Leaving it up to the Kyuubi to sort his newly gained information, Naruto contacted Gaara. *You can head this way whenever. I've finished working on your seal.*

Gaara responded almost instantly. *Where should I go?*

*My apartment.* Naruto decided. He gave Gaara directions and jogged that way himself. As he ran he tugged his hood up a little more, concealing the blonde locks that were spilling out of the fabric. He hadn't been far from the apartment, so he was inside momentarily. Glancing around, he deduced Natsu was out. Probably training. He had hoped the abrasive redhead would be around.

He threw a few things in the closet in a halfhearted attempt to clean up. Next he made some ramen, slurping it down in record time. He was about halfway done when Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand. He gave Naruto an uncertain smile in greeting.

Naruto grinned back. He really did like Gaara; the Sand Genin was quiet and trusting, and Naruto already admired him for how quickly he relinquished grudges. *Hey, Gaara. I'm glad you came. I have the seal here. Shall I start?*

Gaara's head dipped in acknowledgement. *Yes. I should also inform you that we found the Kazekage's body and will aid Konoha against Sound.* Pulling his shirt over his head, he moved so Naruto could inspect the seal. *Please begin.*

Naruto nodded. *Konoha will be glad for your support.* Grabbing his brush and special ink, he carefully began to craft the seal over Gaara's poorly maintained one.

The rhythm of the brush strokes was actually very soothing, and after a while, Gaara's eyes began to droop. He jerked back to awareness when Naruto spoke. *This is going to sting a bit, so brace yourself.*

As Naruto began to channel his chakra and activated the neatly drawn seal, a sharp pain raced through Gaara's side. The Sand Jinchuuriki couldn't suppress a grunt of pain; he was not accustomed to feeling the sensation.

Naruto winced in sympathy. *Sorry, seals hurt like hell sometimes. My chakra probably doesn't help much, either. I've found it's quite poisonous to others. It won't hurt you, probably, but it most likely clashes with Shukaku's.*

The farther along the seal got, the more the level of pain increased. Gaara's nails dug into his own hands as he clenched them, doing his best to endure the ache.

And then it was over. Gaara fell onto Naruto's couch like a puppet with its strings cut. "I don't hear the voices." His normally toneless voice held a note of wonder.

Naruto smiled. *Glad to help, Gaara. We are the same, after all.* He moved to the sink to clean his brush and put the sealing supplies away. *You'll always be welcome here.*

Gaara felt a warm feeling spread throughout his body. At a loss as to the correct reply, he finally said, "I understand."

Naruto suppressed a chuckle at the pure social awkwardness. *Your siblings are probably becoming worried. Good luck in the Finals.* His blue eyes turned to Gaara and searched his face. A satisfied glint was noticeable as the blonde nodded, as if proud of what he'd seen. *I am glad you trusted me. We'll meet again at the Finals…Gaara.*

The redhead rose. "Thank you..." The two words contained such sincere gratitude that Naruto smiled a very genuine, soft smile.

*You're welcome. Now shoo. Can't have you spying on my secret training.* Naruto smirked as Gaara nodded stoically and disappeared in the same manner he had arrived. 'The dude doesn't understand that was a joke.' Naruto mused to himself.

With a ghost of a smile, Naruto turned to leave himself. He needed to speak to Jiraiya soon, but he wasn't in the mood at the moment. He was also nearly out of food, even ramen. With a slight grumble, he decided he'd best go grocery shopping.

Locking the door behind him, Naruto pulled his scarf tighter over the lower half of his face. If they were to recognize him, after all, chances are he'd be thrown out of the shop. The scars around his throat flared in pain, reminiscent of the last time he'd been careless; reminding him of the consequences. Vaguely he wondered what happened to Mizuki…then he banished the thought from his mind. It would do no good to dwell on that path.

Feeling eyes upon him, his eyes jerked sideways. Shikamaru and Chouji were walking towards him. He suppressed a frown. He knew why Shika was here….to get answers. Answers he didn't wish to give. And now it was too late to pretend he hadn't seen them. And Chouji was probably just concerned. He wondered absently if Chouji had informed Shikamaru of his….disability. Not that he cared much either way; Shikamaru would find out eventually. He was a genius of the Nara clan, and when the Nara became curious, nothing would stand in their way.

With a mental sigh, Naruto nodded his head in greeting.

Chouji was watching him, pity in his eyes. Naruto held back a wince. He hated pity.

Shikamaru, seeing that Naruto would obviously not be starting this conversation, spoke first. "Hey, Naruto. What happened to you?"

A slight smirk lifted up the corners of Naruto's lips. So much for being subtle. This was why he liked Shikamaru, he supposed. Straight to business. He raised his eyebrows at Chouji, giving him permission to share what he knew.

Chouji cleared his throat uncomfortably, correctly guessing what Naruto wanted. "Umm, Shikamaru…" Shika turned to his friend, eyebrow raised in inquiry. Chouji continued, in a soft voice, "He's mute."

Shikamaru's other eyebrow shot up, and his eyes widened noticeably. Pressing his lips together, he quickly turned back to Naruto.

Naruto stared impassively back, face a blank mask. He lifted his chin fractionally and then shrugged, as if saying, '_Yeah, so what?' _

Shikamaru schooled his expression back into one of lazy disinterest. Inwardly, though, his mind was racing. What could have happened to a Genin to make him mute? And Naruto of all people? It was strange to see the formerly bright and obnoxious kid transform into a relatively subdued mute. He didn't seem like _Naruto_ anymore. His eyes searched Naruto's face for any sort of expression, any shred of the liveliness of his former self. He found nothing, other than a small spark of anger.

Chouji cut in. "We're sorry to disturb you, Naruto. Shikamaru was just curious. Is there any way you would answer his questions?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome." He simply said, leaving it to Chouji.

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto pulled a notepad and shoved in front of Shikamaru's face. {You learn sign language, and we'll talk.} He turned and began walking away without giving Shikamaru a chance to reply.

Chouji tried to keep back a chuckle, but it slipped out. Shikamaru turned to glare at him, and by the time he turned back around, Naruto was gone. Looking annoyed, the Nara frowned. "Che, he got away. Do I really have to learn sign language?"

Chouji shrugged, grinning. "If you want him to tell you anything…" he trailed off meaningfully.

Shikamaru sighed. "Mendokusai na….." (1)

Naruto finally allowed a smile to creep across his face as he watched the two from afar. It was fun to make Shikamaru work for stuff sometimes, he got annoyed so easily. He knew that eventually he'd have to explain everything, but he could definitely have fun with it right now.

Leaving Shikamaru and Chouji to whatever they wanted to do, Naruto jumped down from the roof and quickly entered the grocery store before someone else tracked him down. He'd seen Shino and Kiba both wandering around, and he definitely didn't want to run into Sakura or her team.

He walked quickly around the store, shoving things into a basket. He'd found that being in public places for the least amount of time was always best, so he hurried through it.

Paying for his purchases, he lifted his bags and began to walk home. Normally he would Shunshin, but with groceries there was the risk that some food item would be ruined. Naruto didn't really have much money to spare at the moment, what with three guests freeloading off of his small salary.

Of course, it would never be as easy as him just walking home unobstructed. People all over the village were curious, especially the Genin who had participated in the Chuunin Exams. Luckily, however, it wasn't Sakura or her team. Instead, Sasuke was waiting for him outside his apartment. "Naruto." The raven greeted simply, seeming somehow…strained.

Naruto back nodded in greeting. *Sasuke. What can I do for you?* he continued walking, and Sasuke fell into step with him.

Sasuke frowned. He seemed reluctant to spit out whatever he was brooding about. Finally, he grudgingly spoke up. "I'm having trouble activating my Sharingan again."

Naruto frowned. *It was no trouble during the Exams, right? You activated them in the Forest of Death and when you were watching matches. Are you saying you can't now?*

Sasuke growled. "That is what I just said, dobe. I don't understand it." he seemed annoyed at having to admit that small fact, but he didn't know what else to do. Nothing else he had tried had worked, and Naruto _was_ known for doing the impossible.

*Do you know who Hatake Kakashi is?* Naruto finally said as he unlocked his door and stepped inside, beckoning Sasuke after him.

Sasuke frowned. "No. Should I?"

Naruto shrugged. *He has a Sharingan. I'm not sure how it happened, but he's very famous. They call him the Copy Nin, or Sharingan no Kakashi. He could probably help you better than I could. Speak to the old man about it.*

Sasuke sighed. Although Naruto had given him a lead, he'd been waiting for Naruto for a while outside, and now he was annoyed. "Fine." He said shortly, leaving Naruto's apartment. Naruto sighed. Sasuke and his mood swings…he was almost like a girl sometimes. Shoving his groceries into the proper places, Naruto collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes._ Just a short nap…_

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><p>Natsu raised his head, his hair causing crimson fire to reflect off of the water. He'd been working on mastering the Rasengan, something he'd never had the opportunity to learn before, when a messenger hawk came soaring down from the sky. Scanning the scroll quickly, he deduced that Sarutobi had finally summoned him to the office. Asuma must finally be free to do his assessment. With a slight grin, he Shunshined back to the apartment to take a quick shower.<p>

Stepping from the steam and pulling on fresh clothes, Natsu left the bathroom and gathered his ninja gear. He paused for a moment with a faint smile, violet eyes trained on the sleeping Naruto. "Sleep well," he murmured softly, eyes a little pained. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he left the apartment for the Hokage's office.

Sarutobi was indeed waiting inside with Asuma. Asuma's face brightened when he saw who he was assessing. "Ah! I know you, you're that kid. Natsu Uzari, right?"

The Sandaime blinked in surprise. "You've met?" he questioned his son, glancing from Natsu back to the bearded Jounin.

Natsu gave the barest of smiles. "Yes, Hokage-sama." His gaze switched to Asuma, considering the older man.

Asuma blinked under the scrutiny. Natsu's eyes held a hint of fond remembrance, and as the redhead looked at Asuma, he seemed to be remembering something in the past. Clearing his throat, Asuma attempted to cut off the gaze that was making him slightly uncomfortable. Almost at once he wished he hadn't.

Natsu's slight spark of emotion faded away as he schooled his face into a lazily amused mask, smirking. His eyes held no humor. "I reckon I'm here for my assessment?"

Both Sarutobi's seemed taken aback at the abrupt mood change demonstrated by the slight redhead. The Sandaime quickly spoke to clear the air. "That is correct, Natsu. Might I suggest a spar between you two as the assessment?"

Natsu shrugged impassively, concealing the dash of panic he suddenly felt. "Fine by me, old man." His gaze slid to Asuma, almost cat-like.

Asuma cleared his throat again, this time even more nervously. "That's fine with me. I'll give you my report later, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a weathered ninja, and an excellent one at that, but even he couldn't quite hide the minute wince at the cool formality in his own son's tone. "Thank you, Asuma. You two may leave now."

Natsu gave the Hokage a slight bow of respect, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Later, old man. Thanks." He and Asuma strolled from the office without as much as another word between them. Finally Natsu rolled his eyes. "Where are we even going? You'd know better than I would about a place to spar."

Asuma seemed to break out of his funk, induced by seeing his father. "I'll take you to where my team usually trains, I guess. So you're trying for Jounin, kid? You seem a little young."

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "I'm twenty two. You aren't that much older than me, I would guess."

Asuma considered this. "I suppose." His intelligent eyes surveyed Natsu's appearance. The younger man was very slight, but it didn't cause him to appear any less threatening. With crimson hair and violet eyes, he had a very distinct air about him. Asuma flicked his eyes away for a few moments before continuing to observe covertly. "It's a little strange that I haven't seen you around before. I know most of the Chuunins, and I don't believe I've seen you before a few days ago." He almost would've said that Natsu didn't appear to be twenty two, if it were not for the ancient look in his eyes. Asuma was unsure what had taken place in his father's office to cause such a sudden and drastic mood change in the redhead, but he wasn't very good at reading people anyways. He decided to think about other things, rather than dwell on unsolvable (and somewhat unimportant) mysteries.

Natsu smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I've been away on a long mission. It's been eight years since I was last in Konoha. It really isn't surprising that you haven't seen me before."

Asuma blinked. It didn't seem too unlikely, but…. "Who were your teammates?"

Natsu's face closed off, and his eyes were mirrors of something dark and ugly. "Dead." He said simply, and a little tersely.

Asuma held back a cringe. "…I'm sorry." Apparently questions weren't the way to go with this kid.

Natsu's eyes blanked of emotion again. "Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago."

A light breeze picked up, rustling through the trees and stirring the grass gently. Asuma halted, glancing around as if surprised. "We're here." He told Natsu, somewhat needlessly.

Natsu's lips quirked up in a slight smirk. "How would you like to go about this?"

Asuma seemed surprised at the question. "However you wish; this is a friendly spar. I doubt I have to tell a fellow Konoha ninja this, but….no crippling injuries, so on and so forth. As far as tactics, though, anything else goes."

Natsu nodded. Almost absently he called forth chakra, preparing for the spar. The chakra coated his left arm, burning red. It almost looked like pure fire.

Asuma frowned at the chakra, but he didn't say anything. Clearly something was different about this kid, after all. It wasn't often you saw a ninja this old that you'd never seen before that knew their way completely around Konoha. On the way to the training grounds, Asuma had been observing carefully. He knew the redhead knew exactly where he was at all times, which ruled out him being a nin from another village. For the life of him, though, Asuma couldn't come up with any other reasons for the strange shinobi to be there. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he prepared himself for a spar, coating his knives in wind chakra and bending his knees slightly.

Natsu met Asuma's eyes briefly, and then sprang forwards. His chakra-covered hand met Asuma's knives, the chakra protecting him from injury.

Asuma was surprised at the clash between two chakra's; normally he would push the other person back right away, due to his wind nature. But it seemed as if Natsu had used an element as well…it must've been fire. That's why the chakra had appeared so…bloody. He didn't know that he'd ever seen someone fight with fire chakra, and not fire itself. It was interesting, to say the least.

Asuma absentmindedly ducked as Natsu's right hand took a swing at his head, and then launched his own counterattack, driving the younger man backwards.

Natsu gave the slightest of smiles. Though he was holding back quite a bit, this was a good spar. He'd never fought Asuma before, and it was something he wished he'd done more often. Due to…circumstances, the only people in Konoha he'd really sparred with were his teammates and sensei. He hadn't had time to make connections other than that. And the connections he had made were soured by Sasuke's near betrayal, and Naruto's own sentence to death. Tsunade, Asuma, Kakashi, and Sasuke were really the only ones privy to what all had actually taken place. Kakashi was, of course, in favor of helping Sasuke over Natsu. Tsunade was frustrated, but the Council had overruled her decision. Natsu suspected that it had been her who had sent Asuma to help him out in the first place, but he'd never spoken to Tsunade again to confirm it. Other than those four and the council, the civilians and shinobi of Konoha definitely bought into the lies of the Council. It had made Natsu angry for many years, before he finally just realized he didn't care anything about Konoha anymore. He had mixed feelings about being here now; on one hand, he could save Naruto from all the turmoil he'd been through. On the other hand, the shadows of the past still kept Natsu from accepting anyone else from Konoha. He couldn't look at Sasuke without seeing _him, _the indirect cause of Natsu's psychological scarring.

He turned his attention back to the spar, uncertainty filling his mind. It was extremely ironic that Natsu had found acceptance and trustworthiness in a group of S-rank missing nin, criminals by right. However it was true nonetheless. Konoha had always shunned and hated him, for reasons beyond his control. It would almost be laughable, if it hadn't been so horribly twisted. Feeling his tight control over his emotions slip the slightest bit, Natsu landed a rather painful hit on Asuma's torso.

Asuma jumped backwards, finding himself a little frustrated. He'd fought enough enemies to know when someone was taking a fight seriously, and this Chuunin kid was definitely not. He seemed far away, as if he couldn't even be bothered to pay attention. Frankly, Asuma was getting a little pissed off. He swung a little harder than was necessary, and the sudden increase in skill level caused Natsu to be caught off guard. The hit grazed Natsu's jaw, and a bruise immediately began to form.

Almost as soon as the discoloration appeared, it was gone. Asuma frowned. That was some pretty quick healing. He hadn't even seen the kid make any seals. "Are you a medic?" he asked as he gave the redhead a little space.

Natsu seemed surprised at the question. "I know a jutsu or two, but I haven't been trained as one, no. Why do you ask?"

Asuma exchanged a few blows before replying, "The bruise disappeared almost as quickly as I made it."

The confusion cleared, and was replaced with an amused expression. "Ah. It's a bloodline. I heal much more quickly than most. I'm immune to various poisons, as well."

Asuma sighed. "That must be handy." He turned his attention back to the spar. It'd been a while since he'd actually fought for real, and he was looking forward to seeing how far this kid could make him go. Jumping backwards he began a quick set of seals. "Futon: Daitoppa!"

A huge gust of wind shot towards Natsu, who dodged nimbly to the side. "Katon: Karyū Endan!" A gargantuan dragon of flame roared towards Asuma, who was surprised again. His father used the technique often, as did a lot of Konoha Jounin. That wasn't what surprised him. What was shocking was the sheer _size_ of the jutsu. It was nearly two times the standard size, and the fire seemed even more scorching than normal.

Asuma quickly fired off another wind jutsu, splitting the dragon around him and leaving him unharmed. _That must have taken quite a bit of chakra, but he doesn't even seem winded. _Upon closer observation, he would guess the kid's reserves were at least ten times his own. This kid had the chakra capacity of a Kage!

Asuma suddenly knew that if he'd been fighting for real, this was a fight he would've lost. By underestimating the kid, he'd squandered chakra he would desperately need later on low rank and ineffective jutsu. He resolved to not make the same mistake in the future.

Moving back into close range, the Jounin sensei engaged Natsu in a purely Taijutsu match, which was perfectly okay with the redhead. Taijutsu certainly wasn't his strongest point, but he was good enough to get by. By sparring so frequently with Kisame, he'd pretty much made it impossible for him to _not_ be good. The Mist nin had the same freakishly high reserves that Natsu himself did, and a Ninjutsu battle was roughly equal. Even today, Natsu doubted he could best Kisame in a purely Taijutsu battle.

Asuma finally grew curious again. "So what would you say your specialty is?"

Natsu blocked a blow aimed at his collarbone. "Fūinjutsu...and Ninjutsu."

Asuma looked interested at that bit of information, but his face quickly turned into a grimace when Natsu's kick grazed his ribs. "An interesting choice. The only Seal Master I know is Jiraiya-sama."

Natsu gave no answer to that as he pressed forwards, seeking to end the spar. Asuma found himself on the defensive as he dodged quick blows, clearly designed to put him off balance. It was working.

Natsu's left hand suddenly shot out quicker than Asuma could react, and the chakra coating reappeared. His hand stopped right before touching Asuma's throat, and the Jounin sensei could feel the heat of the chakra begin to blister his skin. Before it could hurt him, though, Natsu withdrew his hand.

"I believe this spar goes to me." the younger man announced matter-of-factly.

Asuma chuckled. "It appears that it does. Nice fight, kid. I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime for real. You didn't show me half of your stuff, did you?"

Natsu smirked. "Don't feel bad, Asuma. I doubt Kakashi could beat me, either."

Asuma's eyebrows skyrocketed up at this assertion. Kakashi was probably the top Jounin in the village, second only to the Hokage and the Sannin. If the kid wasn't bragging, he had some serious firepower. "And you just appeared out of nowhere?"

Natsu laughed softly, mildly amused. "As I said, I was on an eight year long mission. I didn't have much else to do, other than train. It'd be almost sad if I _hadn't_ improved." With a wave, he turned to leave. "Tell the old man to contact me with whatever he sorts out. I'll see you later, Asuma."

Asuma quickly whirled around. "Hey, wait! The Hokage said -" he trailed off as he realized that the enigmatic redhead had already Shunshined away. Asuma let loose a gusty sigh. _Great. Now I have to tell Father that he got away before I could tell him. Maybe he'll send someone else to tell him…_

Natsu appeared inside his and Naruto's apartment after he left the training grounds, feeling his stomach growling irritably. His younger counterpart looked up at the sudden release of chakra and yawned.

"Hey, Natsu. What have you been up to? Gaara came by earlier, and I fixed his seal. I figured you were out training." Naruto put down the scroll he had been reading and stretched in a cat-like manner before rising from his seated position.

Natsu shrugged. "Earlier I was, yes. For the past hour or so I was with Asuma. The old man finally got around to ordering him to do my assessment."

The blonde smiled slightly. "That's good. How did it go?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "It was mainly uneventful. I couldn't really say for sure, but I _did_ win the spar. I'm pretty sure we were both holding back a lot, though."

Naruto inclined his head. "It would be strange if you weren't. Unless it's a fight for real, there's no point in showing everything you know. It's downright imprudent, in fact."

"Right." Natsu rolled his eyes again. Though they were supposedly the same people, Naruto couldn't be any more different from himself. The younger blonde was fairly bookish, while Natsu still preferred to learn by doing. When he squinted, though, he could see the faint resemblance. It was amazing how a few events could completely turn a person's life around.

The four of them had learned that lesson well, after Naruto's actions. It was not necessarily a horrible mistake, but it effected them all tremendously. Natsu still wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing. He wasn't angry, but he wasn't exactly happy either. He couldn't say for sure that he would stay or return if he had the chance. It just wasn't something he'd considered in much detail.

Naruto slipped past him into the kitchen. "Want some ramen? I went grocery shopping earlier."

Natsu smiled, the expression lightening his face. "Sure." If there was one thing the four of them shared, it was the love of ramen. Perhaps it was in the genes. Was such a thing possible?

Natsu watched fondly as Naruto boiled the water. When the blonde had left the water to heat, he turned to Natsu. "Would you mind training with me in the morning? Not the morning exactly, I suppose. Mid-morning, after I finish up with Gai-sensei."

Natsu shrugged. "Sure, otouto. Anytime. I'm sure we can help each other."

Naruto gave him a rare genuine smile, full of warmth. "Thank you." He turned away, and suddenly his head was lowered slightly in shame. "I'm a disgusting person sometimes, neh? Even though I destroyed your entire world, I'm really glad that I'm not alone anymore."

Natsu frowned. Taking two steps towards Naruto, he forced the blonde to face him. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, Naruto. You're not disgusting. You're just lonely."

A wistful smile was Naruto's only response.

Natsu sighed. He knew that look, full of hidden self-loathing. "I'm not the kind of person to say things that aren't true, Naruto. Listen to me." Almost unthinkingly, he flicked Naruto's forehead. Immediately afterwards he had to fight the urge to laugh. It was just…unlike him. But it had felt right. "You're a good person."

Naruto pressed his lips together and gave the redhead a shaky smile. "I trust you." He finally said. "I hope you know that."

Natsu grinned, almost roguishly. "I do. And…strangely enough, I'm beginning to trust you. It's eerie, no?" He winked to let Naruto know he was kidding. His gaze flicked sideways to the clock. "Well, if you're training with Gai in the morning, you'd better get some sleep. It's almost eleven, and you had a long day."

Naruto smiled distantly and nodded. "You're right. Good night…and thank you."

"No problem." Natsu replied easily. Naruto turned and returned to 'his' bed, collapsing onto the mattress and closing his eyes. Sleep came quickly.

**(1) Troublesome, what a drag, etc. Shika's catchphrase. ;) **


	23. Chapter 22: New Future

{{Say goodnight, with hurt inside.  
>I guess I had something to prove<br>But your heart would not move.  
>Terrified of the fear we hide;<br>And words that we needed to say,  
>But words never come out right.<br>Hope at best our hearts will rest…  
>Well, that's not good enough.<br>That's not good enough.

~Learn From the Night by Sent by Ravens}}

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapter is up!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22: New Future<strong>

Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow and bid Gai-sensei and Lee goodbye. Their training was progressing well, and Naruto had increased the amount of weight he was wearing again. It was beginning to show that Naruto had been focusing on his physical condition. His face was leaner, and his arms and chest more defined. All in all, he was very glad for Gai's help.

He was beginning to think that he needed some weapons training, though. Looking forward, to be a Jounin required proficiency in at least Kenjutsu, if not a wide variety of weapons. Perhaps Tenten would help him out in the future, or at least give him a few tips.

Naruto sometimes felt as if he was trying too hard. After all, many great shinobi were specialists. Naruto often found himself stretched very thin trying to work on everything. He felt as if he was a jack of all trades, master of none. And it was probably the truth. Perhaps he should be more focused in certain aspects of training? Naruto knew that the idea was probably a good one, but at the moment, he was too interested in learning new things to care.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Naruto allowed a slight chuckle at his foolishness. He was only a Genin, and already he was worrying about problems he wouldn't deal with for years. Slapping his cheeks in an effort to bring back positive thinking, Naruto began walking towards Ichiraku.

Focused on getting to his goal and distracted by the nasty glares coming from all directions, Naruto forgot that many of his Genin 'pals' were chasing him down.

Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino (along with, of course, Akamaru) were both standing right in front of him before he registered who they were. Of course, Kiba was the first to speak. "I have a bone to pick with you, Uzumaki."

Naruto sighed. This was really not what he needed at this moment. Exasperated, he took the easiest way out. Reaching into his jacket, he withdrew the ever-present notepad and scribbled, {Sorry, Kiba, but I'm mute. You'll have to take your questions elsewhere.} Not wanting to waste too much time and not really caring how much he would startle the other two Genin, he simply unwound the scarf from his neck, baring the wicked scars circling his neck for both to see. He turned on his heel to leave when Shino's quiet voice stopped him. "Kiba meant no harm, Naruto-san. Please just let him speak, so that he will leave you alone. I say this because if you do not answer his questions, he will keep following you."

Inwardly grumbling Naruto arranged his face into a neutral expression and turned back around to face the two. Arranging the scarf around his throat and cheeks once more, Naruto attempted to block out Kiba's stunned expression.

Wanting to get this over with as soon as possible (Naruto wasn't the most social guy around), he wrote quickly and presented the paper to Shino.

The stoic Aburame took one look at the page and then nodded. With a relieved smile, Naruto pulled out a brush and ink and quickly drew the communication seal on the back of Shino's hand. He'd always liked Shino, and the ever-loyal boy wasn't one to pester and question when unnecessary. Finishing the seal, he tested it cautiously. *Shino?*

Shino nodded once. *I can hear you, Naruto-kun.*

Blinking, Naruto finally turned to regard Kiba again. The dog-like boy was watching the sealing with apparent interest, having finally regained control of his facial expression.

*Tell dog-breath that he can direct his inquiries to me. If you would please, relay my answers to him.* Naruto instructed.

Shino repeated what Naruto had said in a much more polite manner.

Kiba perked up. "Okay! First of all, what the hell, man? What did you do to Sakura?"

Shino answered for the enigmatic blonde. "Naruto-san simply showed Haruno-san a few of his personal memories. The stress was too much for Sakura and she passed out."

Kiba frowned, not understanding at all. "Whatever, dude. It's all Greek to me. I'm not really worried since you didn't hurt her too badly though. So what's with this whole mute thing?"

Shino winced almost imperceptibly at Kiba's lack of tact. "Perhaps Naruto-san does not wish to speak of such things, Kiba."

Naruto intervened. *Thank you for trying, Shino, but dog-face isn't going to learn the art of subtlety anytime soon. Simply tell him that Mizuki-sensei is a traitor to the village and he attacked me, then leave it at that.*

Shino frowned at that bit of information, but he did as Naruto requested.

The small white dog sitting on Kiba's head that until now had been silent suddenly yipped. A slow smile spread across Kiba's face. "Well, Akamaru likes you, and that's good enough for me! Buddies?"

A bewildered expression crossed Naruto's face, and Shino suddenly felt very sympathetic. Hesitantly, Naruto nodded.

Kiba gave Naruto a friendly slap on the back and declared, "You're not so bad, Naruto! See you around." He and Akamaru disappeared into the crowd.

Shino regarded Naruto through his dark glasses. "I thank you for the seal, Naruto-kun. I recognize that is a sign of trust. I wish you luck in the Finals. My condolences for your injury." With a slight inclination of the head, Shino turned and left as well.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his head. Well, that hadn't gone too horribly…he continued on to Ichiraku to get some breakfast.

* * *

><p>Natsu's gaze shifted to the sky as a hawk soared past. Recognizing the summons, he carefully lowered the water he had been directing with his hands back into the stream bed. Water had always been one of the hardest elements for him to work with. Fire was his strongest, and water and fire were opposites.<p>

Rising to his feet and brushing the dirt from his clothes, he Shunshined outside the Hokage's office. These days, Konoha was not really a place he was all that comfortable in. Certainly not comfortable enough to just appear in the middle of the village leader's office. With a powerful stride he made his way to the Sandaime's office, curious as to what the old man would say to him.

Rapping on the door lightly (out of pure courtesy), Natsu was called inside by the Hokage.

Asuma was standing to the left of the old man's desk.

With a small bow of acknowledgement, Natsu began, "Hokage-sama. I assume this is in regards to my assessment?"

Sarutobi puffed out a long breath of smoke and nodded. "It is. Asuma has given me a full report on the spar, and you have indeed proved yourself to be capable enough. I must admit I am very curious about the entirety of your skill set; however it is not something that concerns me. Congratulations, Natsu Uzari. You are now instated as a full Jounin of Konoha."

Natsu's eyes glimmered with an unknown emotion. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I will do my best to protect Konoha…and by extension, Naruto."

Asuma's eyebrows shot up. Natsu was somehow connected to the Kyuubi kid? Now that was an interesting tidbit.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi only smiled in response. "I am pleased. You will also be happy to know that, following the Chuunin Exams, you will be placed as Commander of Squad 17. Your teammates will be Uzumaki Naruto and Nijo Naruko. The fourth member of your squad has not yet been decided. When Naruto reaches ANBU proficiency, your squad may be redistributed under the ANBU Commander's recommendation."

Natsu smiled. "Wonderful. Thanks, old man." Finally a small portion of Natsu's sincerity began to shine through. The Sandaime hid a grin.

Asuma scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Is there anything else, or can I leave now?"

Sarutobi turned to his son. "Not quite yet, Asuma. There is something else I want you to do. Natsu will need to be introduced to the other Konoha Jounin. I trust you can handle this?"

Asuma sighed, though not in any real exasperation. More like resignation. "Understood." Turning to the younger redhead, Asuma cracked a slight smile. "I've always said that unpleasant tasks are best done quickly. Are you free now, Natsu?"

Natsu gave the bearded Jounin an easygoing smile. It was the first time Asuma had addressed him by his first name instead of 'kid'. "As free as I'll ever be."

Asuma blinked. "Then let's get this done. If you would follow me….do you know where the Jounin headquarters are?"

Natsu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Of course."

With a sheepish grin, Asuma muttered, "Sorry, just checking. I'll meet you there." Turning back to his dad, Asuma added, "I will see you later, Father."

Hokage waved the two off, attention already diverted by the massive stack of paperwork on his desk. With slight grins both Jounin disappeared in a Shunshin.

Standing in front of the Jounin HQ, Asuma gestured Natsu forwards. "After you."

Natsu rubbed his neck awkwardly, a nervous habit he'd never quite conquered. "Fine." He grumped, stepping inside the rather large building with something akin to trepidation.

Asuma was right at his heels. A few Jounin stood in a group together, and Natsu recognized a few from the past. All eyes turned to the redhead in curiosity. Natsu lifted his chin fractionally, body taut beneath a careless exterior.

Asuma cleared his throat, drawing the attention away from the tense redhead. "This is Natsu Uzari, Konoha's newest Jounin. Natsu, this is Yuugao Uzuki, Gekko Hayate, Shiranui Genma, Hatake Kakashi, and Yuuhi Kurenai. Raidou and Izumo are probably at gate duty today…and Anko's in the other room." After hearing her name, the purple-haired kunoichi poked her head out. "Who's the kid?"

Natsu sighed. "Natsu Uzari. It's nice to meet you all."

Kakashi frowned. 'I've never seen you around before. And I would remember if I had." He was referring to Natsu's unique features.

Natsu smiled easily, hoping it didn't look as fake as it felt. He wasn't fond of the Copy Nin. "I've been away from the village for 8 years, and only recently returned. Now I'm watching over the Uzumaki kid." None of it was particularly a lie…

Kurenai smiled at Natsu. "It's nice to see you again, Natsu-kun." Before Natsu could reply, Anko butted in, "You know him, Kurenai?"

Natsu smirked at Anko. "I'm watching over her student. Kurenai-san isn't so unobservant as to not notice."

Kurenai had to admit she was impressed. It was a plausible explanation, and he wasn't actually lying at all. "Please, just Kurenai is fine."

Natsu dipped his head. "As you wish. I'm not much one for formality anyways."

Genma snickered. "Nice to meet ya, kid! We could use some fresh blood around here. We're all getting in a rut."

Asuma cleared his throat again. "I'd watch who you called 'kid,' Genma. He beat me in our last spar, and I would bet 2000 yen he'd do the same to you."

Hayate coughed. "Interesting. If you decide to spar, invite me along."

Yuugao rolled her eyes at Natsu. "Ignore them." She advised. "Since they have no manners, it's up to me. I know being a new Jounin is tough, so don't hesitate to talk to me if anything comes up. I'd be happy to help."

Natsu thanked her. He was about to say something when Kakashi spoke again. "You have lots of seals drawn on you. Have you studied Fūinjutsu?"

Natsu considered how to answer. "I have." He said finally. "But I didn't design these." The fingers of his right hand lightly brushed his left bicep. A lie, but he didn't want Kakashi sniffing out his secrets.

The silver-haired Jounin seemed to accept the answer. Anko came into the room, stopping beside Kurenai. "You'll have to spar with me sometime pretty boy."

Natsu was surprised at the address and took a bit too long to respond. Was Anko _flirting_ with him? It was just…weird. "As you wish, Anko." He pretended to have no clue what she was insinuating.

Genma laughed. "He's brave, I'll give him that." He ducked as Anko angrily hurled a kunai his way and dashed out of the room chuckling.

Asuma rolled his eyes. His friends were so weird. "Say…where's Gai?"

Kakashi sighed when all eyes turned to him. "Training his team, I would assume." He whipped out his orange book and eye-smiled.

Kurenai and Yuugao both gave the Copy Nin murderous looks, which he ignored.

"Mah, I'll introduce him to you later." Asuma shook his head and added in an undertone, "Perhaps it's better this way."

Natsu tugged a lock his hair back into place before absently before replying, "I've heard of Gai. Naruto talks about him."

Asuma laughed. "I'm sure. Well, anyways, you'll meet him later. My work here is done, so I'm leaving. I have to train my team."

Natsu waved goodbye and started to leave himself before he was stopped by Hayate. "It's an awkward time to become a Jounin. Does the Hokage plan to give you a Genin team?"

Natsu tilted his head. "Not exactly. I'm taking on Naruto and a new Chuunin. Hokage-sama is still trying to work out the third team member. But I was promoted to be the team leader specifically, yes."

Hayate nodded. "Ah. I was hoping you were taking a Genin team." He coughed. " Hokage-sama is trying to get me to take one on."

Natsu smiled politely. "Well, best of luck either way. It was nice to meet all of you, but if you don't mind, I'll take my leave…"

The others waved him off, not really caring. With a barely audible relieved sigh, Natsu left the Jounin headquarters. _Finally, I can get back to training…_

* * *

><p>After a delicious breakfast of ramen at Ichiraku, Naruto decided to check up on Naruko and Narue. He hadn't seen them in a day or two and he was curious to see what Narue had been painting in the time that he'd been away.<p>

He knocked on their apartment door. Narue answered the door. A bright grin lit up her face when she saw who it was. "Naruto-niisan!" she cried, rushing to give him a hug.

Naruto patted her head laughingly. *Hey, Narue-chan. How are you doing?* he was always glad to see the spot of innocence that Narue represented in their lives. She was their proof that not everything in this world would turn out horribly.

Narue released him and stepped back to look into his eyes, still smiling. "I'm doing well! Naruko isn't here right now. I finished your painting! Naruko helped me with a few things, though. Would you like to see it?"

Naruto nodded. He really was interested to see what she had done. She led him into the room that she had converted into a studio of sorts. Stepping over to an easel covered with a paint-splattered sheet, she turned back to Naruto, cheeks rosy. "Here it is, nii-san. Are you ready to see it?" Narue asked shyly.

Naruto felt strangely apprehensive. No one had ever done anything for him quite like this. In fact, as long as he could remember, the Hokage had been the only one to give him a gift, ever. *I'm ready.* he probably had an idiotic look on his face, but he didn't even care. His little sister had painted for him!

With a deep breath, Narue lifted the sheet from the painting.

Naruto's breath whooshed out of his chest. He stared motionless, shocked by the beauty and pure _feeling_ in the painting. *You have a gift, imouto.* he finally stammered out.

His eyes returned to the painting. The background was a red sunset, but to Naruto, it appeared as pure fire, the color of blood. Naruto could recognize the figure as himself, but in the painting the appearance was nothing like him. The boy in the painting was on the ground, hugging his knees. Tears streamed down his face and glistened silver, but it was strangely beautiful. Darkness was looming around the boy, seeming as if it was just waiting to overwhelm him. If one looked closely, a grinning mouth of fangs was faded into the red background, eerily resembling the Kyuubi.

It was striking, but knowing the story behind it, it hit Naruto's heart. *This is so amazing.* he choked out. A little teary eyed, he gathered Narue into a hug. *Thank you so much, Narue. I couldn't ask for a better gift.*

Narue hugged him back. "You're welcome, Naruto-niisan. After it's framed I'll bring it over to your apartment. I think maybe Natsu-nii will like to see it as well."

Naruto nodded. *I'm sure he would.* Naruto's gaze suddenly flicked sideways, and a slight smirk crossed his face. *But as for now, it appears as if I have a visitor. Sasuke's waiting outside my door, so I'd better go. Thank you again, imouto.* He squeezed her hand and left.

Sasuke frowned at him when he came out the door. "There you are, dobe. I went to find Kakashi as you suggested, but he was useless. He refused to teach me anything." The last Uchiha frowned at Naruto as if it was entirely his fault.

Naruto sighed. *Chill, princess. Let me grab my things and we can go train.*

Sasuke harrumphed at being called a princess, but he waited nonetheless.

Naruto gestured the raven inside the apartment. Natsu was inside reading through the Namikaze scrolls. The Jounin glanced up as the two entered, shutting the door behind them. It was a good thing he had an iron grip over his emotions from his time in the Akatsuki, because seeing Sasuke again was definitely a shock.

Neither of the younger Genin appeared to notice his sudden unease, to his appreciation. Natsu cleared his throat. "Hello Naruto, Sasuke." He greeted dryly.

Sasuke simply frowned at the redhead. Naruto snickered at Sasuke and waved at Natsu. *Hey. I'm going out in just a minute. Prissy-pants needs help with his Sharingan.*

Natsu had to admit he was surprised that Sasuke didn't attack Naruto for that quip. The Uchiha only frowned at his teammate. Perhaps things _would_ be different after all.

Naruto disappeared into his bedroom and rummaged around for his things. The sound of rustling cloth could be heard, and Naruto emerged with a clean shirt and his weapon's pouch. He then headed into the kitchen and sealed several water bottles into a scroll. *All righty, Sasu. Let's head out.*

Natsu waved the two out. "Have fun."

Sasuke snorted and Naruto just grinned and merrily responded, *You got it!*

They left the apartment and Naruto turned to Sasuke. *Your house or mine?* he questioned, laughing a little at the weirdness of the question.

Sasuke considered it. "Mine." He decided, and began walking. Naruto followed.

Naruto wasn't much one for silence, unless he was alone. *So how's the training going?*

Sasuke frowned. "Other than my Sharingan? I've been working on some new fire jutsu. When we meet Kurenai later today she'll assign us teachers. Since we all made the Finals, she'll probably only teach Ino. She has the most aptitude for Genjutsu."

Naruto snickered. *Wow, Sasuke, I think that's the most I've ever heard you say at once. I get it, though. You want to straighten out this problem so you can move on to whatever that sensei has to teach you. No worries, we'll fix it.*

Sasuke sighed. Sometimes he was almost glad Naruto had ended up as his teammate….but he never wholeheartedly finished that thought. The blonde was simply too exasperating sometimes. There was something he'd been wondering, however… "Did the other Genin hunt you down?"

Naruto snorted. *Sort of. Shikamaru and Chouji found me yesterday, and Shino and Kiba today. I haven't spoken to anyone else yet. I was sort of hoping to run into Hinata….but it hasn't happened. Why do you ask?*

"You just seem less annoyed than I would've guessed." Sasuke responded vaguely.

Naruto sighed. Trying to get Sasuke to hold a decent conversation was very much like trying to yodel while swimming: impossible.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they finally reached the Uchiha Compound, Sasuke turned to face Naruto. "Let's spar." He said, expression full of impatience.

Naruto sighed. *Can't you just wait patiently until the Finals?* he half-joked, before taking up a fighting stance. *Taijutsu only, Your Princeliness. We have training to do later, so nothing too heavy.*

Sasuke frowned but nodded obediently. "All right." He agreed reluctantly.

*Good.* Naruto lifted his hands to show that he wasn't attacking and stepped closer to Sasuke. *Now for the finishing touches.* He pulled a blindfold from his weapons pouch and tied it around Sasuke's eyes.

"Dobe, what are you doing?" Sasuke growled, hands already reaching back to remove the blindfold.

Naruto shoved his hands down. *Listen and I'll explain. The reason you can't activate your Sharingan because during all the times you activated them, there was an adrenaline rush. The blindfold will limit your eyesight and make it much harder to fight. You rely too much on your eyesight, and by extension the Sharingan. _You're trying too hard, _Sasuke. It's like trying to force chakra out from all parts of your body.*

Sasuke sighed. "I'll give it a try, but if you're wrong…" the raven trailed off threateningly.

Naruto grinned. *You'll do what? Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you. A blind Uchiha isn't worth much, after all.* He winked at Sasuke to let the Uchiha know he was kidding.

Nonetheless, Sasuke grew annoyed very quickly. "I'm starting." Sasuke rushed towards Naruto and tried to hit him rather recklessly.

Naruto dodged nimbly to the side. He had a clear advantage, but the purpose here was not to win the spar. It was to relieve the excess chakra built up in Sasuke's eyes. *Let the chakra go, Uchiha. You're clutching it like a child clings to a teddy bear.*

Sasuke let loose a frustrated sigh. "I'm trying to _activate_ my Sharingan, dobe!"

*Have I ever lead you wrong, Sasuke? Just do it, and if it doesn't work, _then_ you can complain.* Naruto sighed and whacked Sasuke's head, startling the raven.

The last Uchiha immediately lashed out in retaliation and nearly caught Naruto in the jaw. *That's more like it, teme.* Naruto egged him on.

Very slowly, as the spar continued on, the chakra concentrated in Sasuke's eyes began to lessen, until it was nearly unnoticeable. Lifting his hands in a sign of surrender so that Sasuke wouldn't attack, Naruto stepped closer. *Try it now, Sasuke.* He encouraged, removing Sasuke's blindfold.

Scowling, the Uchiha did as requested. The Sharingan activated right away. "How?" Sasuke wondered out loud.

Naruto laughed. *You kept trying to activate it. The chakra overloaded your eyes. The strain just needed to be lessened.*

Sasuke grumbled something under his breath. *Why the blindfold, then?*

*That was just for fun!* Naruto said cheerfully. Seeing Sasuke's furious face, he waved merrily. *Bye, Sasu! Good luck training!* he disappeared in a Shunshin, but not before catching the rare sight of the stoic Uchiha's face turning a beautiful shade of purple. He also heard Sasuke shout a few swear words he was surprised the boy knew. Snickering inwardly, Naruto walked Konoha's streets, hands placed behind his head.

Glancing at the sun to gauge the time, Naruto guessed he had about an hour before his team was meeting. At a loss, he decided to send clones for Naruko and Natsu. They all needed to discuss their fourth team member. Creating the clones, he sent them on their way and walked to the place he'd asked them to meet: the lake. He removed his boots and rolled up his pants to the knee, dangling his feet carelessly into the water. Naruko and Natsu arrived promptly via Shunshin, in near synchronization. Glancing at the other, they took a seat on either side of Naruto.

"I would guess this is about our future team?" Naruko drawled, poking Naruto in the side.

Naruto twitched. *Right. I know we'd kinda said Shikamaru before, but I've been thinking about that.*

Natsu pursed his lips. "I have, as well. The Hokage insinuated that we'd eventually become an ANBU team, and it's not quite Shikamaru's style. Though he's a brilliant tactician….he's a little soft sometimes. Not to mention too lazy." The redheaded Jounin cracked a small smile.

Naruto sighed. *Yeah, you're right. That lazy cloud-watcher hates to work. But if not Shika, who do you have in mind?* he and Naruko both looked to Natsu.

The Jounin sighed. "Look, out of us three, I've had the least experience with Konoha. But it seems to me our choices are either Shino and Sasuke. And…I'm not fond of Sasuke."

Naruko and Naruto exchanged looks. Clearly there was a story there, but neither was brave enough to ask. They both had their share of painful memories.

"So Shino then?" Naruko prodded.

*I like Shino. He's very loyal and doesn't speak unnecessarily.* Naruto offered.

"Sounds like Shino will be our fourth team member. If he makes Chuunin, that is. I wouldn't want to split up his team if he doesn't get promoted. Whoever gets called in next can tell the old man." Natsu decided.

*True.* Naruto acknowledged. He pulled his feet from the water and dried them on his jacket. *What about you, Naruko? You've been pretty quiet.*

Naruko leaned back on her hands, staring at the sky. "There just isn't much to say."

Naruto sighed. She had been in low spirits lately but there wasn't much he could do if she wouldn't even open up about what was going on. He stood, brushing off his clothes. *Okay. I have a team meeting soon, so I'll see you guys later. Thanks for coming out, even though I'm sure you were busy.* With a nod of farewell, he strolled away.

Natsu snickered, then called after him. "Whatever, bro. I'm going back to training. Call me out whenever, I don't mind. And Naruko…come find me later. We'll hang out."

Naruko seemed surprised. "Okay." She agreed, a little gracelessly.

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Later." He Shunshined away, leaving Naruko by herself, staring out at the lake.

Naruto walked all the way to where his team was supposed to meet, lost in thought.

Ino was the first to greet him. "Hey, Naruto. You look pensive. Is there anything going on?"

Naruto's gaze lifted up to meet Ino's pale blue eyes. *Oh, hey, Ino. Not really. There's something I need to tell everyone, though. You'll probably all be angry with me.*

Ino frowned. _That_ didn't sound good. "Okay, I'll wait until Kurenai-sensei and Sasuke-kun get here then."

Naruto nodded silently and gave her a strained smile. Ino stood from her seated position and wandered towards Naruto, sitting next to him. With another glance at his anxious face, she giggled quietly. Lifting her arm, she patted him on the head soothingly, rather like she would a dejected puppy. "Don't worry, Naru. Whatever it is, we're friends, right? I might be a little angry, but I'll still like you." She paused for a split second. That hadn't come out as she had intended it to. "Er, as a friend." She amended hastily, withdrawing the fingers that had been tangled in his admittedly soft hair.

Naruto's eyes lit up with gratitude and he couldn't repress a more genuine smile. *Thank you, Ino. You probably will be mad….but I'm not worried for our friendship.*

"Hehe." Ino replied rather uncomfortably. She was saved from the awkward moment by the arrival of Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed, unable to completely keep the relief from her voice.

The broody Uchiha snorted. "Hello." He greeted them both. Despite his "avenger" nature, he was making progress. He was still an arrogant, stuck-up prick…but at least he was starting to see the value of teamwork. Taking a glance from Naruto's face to Ino's, he frowned. "What's going on?"

"Naruto said there's something he needs to tell us. All of us." Ino explained.

Sasuke's gaze returned to Naruto. He didn't like the sound of this. "Dobe?"

Naruto only blinked at the moniker. *When sensei gets here.* he replied, with an air of finality.

Sasuke grimaced at the dismissal and lowered himself to the ground to sit beside Naruto. "Hn."

Kurenai-sensei appeared shortly after. Sensing the mood, she wisely chose to wait to share her own news. "Something up?"

Ino spoke up…again. "Naruto has something to tell us." She chirped, elbowing the said blonde in the ribs playfully.

Kurenai simply took it in stride. "Okay. What's on your mind, Naruto?"

Naruto sighed. He really wasn't looking forward to this…. *It's about the team, after the Exams.* he began. They waited for him to continue. He looked up and met Kurenai's eyes. *I've decided that after the Exams, I'm leaving Team 8.*

There was a sort of stunned silence, on Ino and Kurenai's parts. Sasuke just looked angry.

Kurenai was the first to regain her composure. "I'm not trying to second-guess your decision, Naruto. But may I ask why?"

Naruto looked down at his hands. *It wasn't any of you. I had fun here, and there was nothing I could've complained about. But…it's Natsu and Naruko. It just makes sense for me to join up with them. It's my fault that they're here, and it's my responsibility to look after them. I mean, I know they can take care of themselves and all…but there are…circumstances, which I can't go into. They really need me. And…I need them. They understand me more than anyone….they're family.*

Ino pursed her lips, considering his words. Naruto hadn't had a family, so she was beginning to understand the importance of what he was saying. She hadn't made any effort to get to know Naruto's "time-travelling" freeloaders, but they were apparently living with him. She was interrupted by her contemplation when Sasuke spoke.

"Fine. Do whatever you want, dobe." Sasuke's face was blank, but his tone livid.

Naruto's eyebrows knitted inwards. *Sasuke-*

Sasuke interrupted him. "Obviously you've found replacements, and don't need us anymore." The unspoken words were clear to Naruto. _I trusted you…and you threw it into my face. Traitor. Weren't we…were we friends? _

Ino and Kurenai remained silent, understanding the conversation for what it really was: between Sasuke and Naruto only.

Naruto wasn't quite sure of the answer to that question himself. *Yes….no. I don't know, maybe!* Confusion clearly showing on every movement, Naruto threw his hands up into the air in frustration. "But you guys can do without me. It's not like we'll never see each other again. You're…my friends. And maybe even becoming…family.* The blonde finally admitted quietly, eyes boring into Sasuke's.

The last Uchiha was unsure what do with the last words. _Family? He doesn't have family…is his idea of family the same as mine? _

*All I'm saying is that our paths are heading in different directions. The reason we were made into a team anyways was because we didn't fit into the other teams well. It had nothing to do with our skill sets. Sasuke's a clear Ninjutsu specialist. Ino, you're better suited for Torture & Interrogation like your father, or even Genjutsu or Medical Jutsu. And me….I'm a more behind-the-scenes guy. With our team this way, it was inevitable that we'd break apart eventually.* Naruto finally lifted his eyes up, turning towards Kurenai. The rest of what he needed to say to Sasuke was something between only the two of him, and he would get to it later.

Ino smiled at him. "I think I get what you're trying to say, Naruto. I'm a little upset…but what you're saying makes sense. Except for one thing. How could they understand you more than we do? I mean, we know about….the tenant. Admittedly, I don't know about being an orphan, but…." She left the rest unspoken, sparing a single glance at Sasuke.

Naruto's eyes grew bleak, and the members of Team 8 were all surprised. The look seemed out of place on the usually cheerful blonde's face. His voice through the communication seal was unexpectedly bitter. *So you know what it's like to have your throat slashed open, Ino? What about you, Sasuke? Did you ever find out that the person who was supposed to be your Godfather deserted you, knowing full well that both your parents were dead, and the entire village would like nothing more than to kill you given the chance? Neh, Kurenai-sensei, have any of you been ignored so thoroughly that every person you meet just looks right through you, for years? Have you spent every practically every birthday cowering in your house, knowing that whatever you do, there are people far stronger than you coming to beat you into a bloody pulp? That you will be defenseless before them, and no one even cares enough to notice, let alone help you? WELL?* Rising jerkily to his feet, Naruto turned his face away from them. *I can't go to any shop in Konoha other than Ichiraku Ramen and Tenten's family's weapons shop without being thrown out on my face, probably with a black eye besides! I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for me, or make you feel bad because you didn't help me. It's all in the past. I just want you to know that there are some horrible things that happened to me, and they will never disappear, because they shaped the person I am today. And despite how hard you try….they are things that you can't understand….nor do I want you to understand them. It's….it's painful, and I don't want you to feel it. I...* Biting his lip, Naruto finished in a deadened tone, *I wouldn't wish that pain on my worst enemy. No, Ino, you don't understand hardly anything. I would appreciate it if you don't bring this up again. Like I said, I'm already past it.*

Ino stared at Naruto in utter shock. Sasuke only looked blankly at the ground.

Kurenai sighed. She'd known Naruto carried around a great deal of resentment, but she hadn't expected this much. "I won't bring it up." She promised. "I'm sad that you've decided to switch teams, Naruto. I've enjoyed teaching you. I will always be happy to help you with anything you need. Have you spoken to the Hokage about this?"

Naruto nodded. *Natsu did. Hokage-sama agreed to it. I believe it'll be easy to find a replacement team member for me. Because seven out of twelve Finals participants are Konoha Genin, there's a good chance at least a few will become Chuunin. The teams will have to be reorganized according to that, so it's a good time for me to change over.*

Ino watched Naruto through sad eyes. "I'm sorry." She blurted.

Naruto paused in his conversation with Kurenai, and turned a painfully fake smile on Ino. *I beg your pardon?*

Ino didn't stop. "I'm sorry that I treated you like dirt, when I didn't know anything about you. I'm sorry that all of Konoha thinks you're a demon, when nothing could be further from the truth. You're such a forgiving person, Naruto. So….forgive me, too."

Naruto's face was closed off, stony. But the barest hint of emotion colored his voice when he replied, *I did so a long, long time ago, Ino.*

The wave of emotion nearly overwhelmed the blonde-headed kunoichi, and she bowed her head, trying to compose herself. She could feel Kurenai's worry, but couldn't muster the strength to lift her head. Strength….because of his words, she was beginning to truly understand what truly great potential Naruto represented for Konoha. He made her want to…follow him. She felt like if she turned away for even one moment, she would lose sight of him, _lose_ him completely. And….she didn't want that. _Why? _It was a question she couldn't answer yet.

Kurenai finally just smiled. She was relieved that Naruto wasn't angry with her. She'd really tried her best as Team 8's sensei, despite the failure in her past, with Yakuma Kurama. She was still slightly scarred by her failure with her past student, and she was extremely happy that this time hadn't turned out badly. "Thank you for your work on this team, Naruto. We're all sad to see you go, but it's something you've decided is best for yourself, and we won't question that."

Her last words were punctuated by the sound of a rock crumbling. Naruto finally turned back to Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes were narrowed in aggression, and his fists clenched. The raven dropped a handful of dust, all that remained of the rock he'd crushed in his anger. "We'll speak on this later." Sasuke promised, eyes finding Naruto's.

The blonde nodded mutely, a little taken back by Sasuke's violent reaction. Swallowing nervously, he looked to Kurenai. *What was the reason you called us here, sensei?*

Kurenai chuckled. "Oh, of course. I was going to inform you of who you'd be training with before the Finals. I will be training Ino."

The blonde girl squealed and hugged Kurenai. "Thank you, sensei! I'll work my hardest!"

Kurenai nodded solemnly and spoke again. "Naruto, Jiraiya-sama has requested to train you personally. It's a great honor."

Naruto kept his face carefully blank at her words, and only nodded. He wasn't sure how he felt about this, but he would welcome training from anyone skilled...

Kurenai smiled at him. "And Sasuke, Tsunade-sama offered to train you when she heard that Jiraiya-sama was training Naruto. You should also be honored." Sasuke appeared a little surprised, but pleased nonetheless. Though Tsunade was (obviously) a medic specialist, to be a medic nin required a great deal of precision and control, and that was not useful for medical jutsu alone. "I understand." The stoic Uchiha responded clearly.

Kurenai continued, "I'm sure both of you understand that you are to treat both Tsunade-hime and Jiraiya-san with a great deal of respect, as you would any sensei." With a laugh, the beautiful kunoichi shook her head in mock despair. "Who would've guessed that the Sannin would take an interest in my students?"

Naruto bit back a laugh of his own. She really had no idea how true her words were….for all _three_ Sannin. *Thank you, sensei. I'll do my best, and train hard. I will show you how far I've come…in the Finals.*

Sasuke nodded his agreement. Kurenai dismissed the team, and she and Ino left right away, leaving Sasuke and Naruto by themselves.

Sasuke turned on Naruto as soon as the women were gone. "What the_ hell _do you think you're doing, dobe?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Naruto's eyes grew intense, and he strode towards Sasuke. Gripping the dark-haired boy's shoulder almost painfully tight, the blonde spoke, words resonating with force: *There's a lot you don't know about that's going on, Sasuke. Konoha is preparing for a war. I trust you, and I hope you'd do the same for me. I'm not leaving you behind; I'm trying to make sure that I'm in a position where I can do the most help, for all of us.* Releasing his grip, Naruto's face darkened. *I think of you as a brother, Sasuke, and I always will. So yes, I meant everything I said.* A slight smirk appeared on his face, but it wasn't amused. *Sometimes I think we're almost too alike, yes? To the point where it's painful for both of us.*

Sasuke stared at Naruto for several long moments, trying to gauge the truth of what Naruto was saying. Finally the anger faded from his posture. "I trust you." He admitted. For once, the blank mask was completely gone, and Sasuke was _real, _the pain and the fear all pushed to the side for a few moments. His eyes betrayed the pain and loneliness that was truly Sasuke, and did nothing to conceal the truth. No mask, no façade, no hidden motive. Just purely Sasuke. "Perhaps we can become…brothers." Naruto probably didn't understand what had really happened. He didn't know the significance the word brother carried to Sasuke. But at the moment, Sasuke didn't mind. It was as Naruto said: they would never completely understand each other. But they didn't need to, to trust each other. They were different, but the same. And perhaps…neither of them would be alone anymore.

Naruto felt as if a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders with Sasuke's words. Maybe Sasuke would go to Orochimaru, and maybe he wouldn't. What Sasuke _could_ do no longer mattered. Naruto knew without a doubt that Sasuke wouldn't do anything to betray the bond of trust that they had just formed, because Sasuke knew the pain of that better than anyone. "Thank you." Naruto had never spoken words more sincere in his life, and Sasuke knew so as well. The Uchiha simply nodded. "We'll face each other in the Finals. I'll see you then, Naruto." The black-haired boy walked away, returning to his home.

Naruto felt the biggest smile creeping onto his face, and knew he probably looked ridiculous, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Sasuke…had just acknowledged him. The thought raced through his mind, and the warm feeling filled his entire soul. He wasn't alone anymore_._ And now…he had to work his hardest, train his hardest. _I'll see you in the Finals, Sasuke. Don't lose until we stand face to face once again. Then…we'll see who's truly stronger. _


	24. Chapter 23: New Mission Arc

{{I tried to be someone else  
>But nothing seemed to change<br>I know now, this is who I really am inside.  
>Finally found myself<br>Fighting for a chance.  
>I know now, this is who I really am.<p>

Come break me down  
>Bury me, bury me<br>I am finished with you, you, you.  
>Look in my eyes<br>You're killing me, killing me

~The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars}}

**A/N: Hey, how's it going? Sorry it's been so long since my last update, but I've been doing finals and I got my wisdom teeth out. Not to mention the last few weeks I've been in Iowa visiting my grandmother, who lives in a town with no cell phone service or Internet. Definitely not something I would EVER repeat for that long of a time period…not that I'd need to. –laughs weirdly- I'm done with school now, pretty awesome. Well, at least until next year. –chuckles- That's always the thing that bums me out. Oh well. I hope you'll give me lots of reviews by using the fancy new review button, mmm? –grins- It would make me happy, so please take a few seconds to` do so. Also, let me know if there's a character you think isn't being seen enough. I'll try to incorporate them more into the story. Well, that's all for this rant. Once again, please review~ ^.^ Starting it off with a new POV: Naruko! And it begins.  
><strong>

**Chapter 23: Mission Arc Begins**

Naruko stared at the mirror and sighed in boredom as she braided her sleek blonde hair to the left side of her head. _Come find me later, we'll hang out._ Natsu's words echoed in her mind. She snorted to herself. She didn't get the redheaded Jounin sometimes. Why would he want to hang out with _her?_ There was quite an age gap between the two. Well, not THAT much. But enough to make it at least a little awkward.

Tying the braid and tucking her side bangs behind one ear, Naruko moved away from the mirror and towards the door. Walking down the hall, she knocked on Naruto and Natsu's door.

Natsu answered the door. She took in his bright violet eyes and disheveled hair and couldn't hold back a smile. Though she thought of him as a brother (he was practically _her), _she couldn't deny that he was very attractive. Upon seeing who his visitor was, he grinned, though honestly it was more a smirk. "Hey, Naruko. Glad you stopped by. Let me grab my jacket and we can go." He waved her inside and disappeared into a back room.

Naruko glanced around in curiosity as she waited. "Naruto isn't here?" she called.

Natsu's answer drifted back to her. "Nope, he was training with Gai early again. Probably went out for lunch. Believe it or not, despite living together we really don't see much of each other."

Naruko snickered. "Shocker." She muttered to herself, amused. Natsu emerged from his room just in time to hear that, and he grimaced slightly. "Yeah, I suppose being a shinobi isn't the most relational job, is it? But I couldn't really imagine being anything else. Ready to go?"

Naruko sighed. "I guess. I don't really get what we're doing. Is this the whole 'team captain checking up on subordinates' thing or what?"

Natsu grinned. "Partly I guess. I am a little worried about you personally as well. I've told you already that I don't want you or Naruto turning out to be…like me." He swallowed and turned his face away the slightest bit. Regaining control over his expression, he faced her again. "Look, just come with me and enjoy the company, all right? The 'why' doesn't really matter all that much."

Naruko sighed. "Aye aye, captain." She agreed, if a little sarcastically.

Natsu smirked again. "That's the spirit." Taking her arm, he pulled her gently out the door. "Lighten up a bit, imouto. There's something I want to show you."

Naruko sighed. "I think that worries me a lot more than it eases my conscience." She bemoaned, unable to stop the sides of her mouth from twitching in amusement.

"Liar." Natsu grinned back, still pulling her along. "You know what, screw this. I'll just Shunshin." The older Jounin did just that.

When Naruko looked around, her eyes widened. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed, face filled with awe.

They stood inside a cavern, filled with sparkling obsidian-colored stone. It was dark, but the stalactites glowed with an inner light. The flowing sounds of water could be heard, at Naruko found the stone was wet to the touch. Unexpectedly, there was no damp or musty scent. It smelled like clean earth. Raising her eyes back to the wondrous sight, Naruko let out a long breath.

Natsu's violet eyes sparkled with mirth. "Agreed. I found this place in….my Konoha, once upon a time. I came here whenever I needed to clear my head. Always worked wonders. It's nice to be able to come back."

Naruko laughed, the joyful sound ringing through the grotto. "Well, consider me impressed. Thank you for showing me this!" She moved closer to the glowing stalactites and touched them lightly with a cautious finger. "Why do they glow like that?"

Natsu shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. I've always wondered though. Maybe Naruto would know. He's the bookish one."

Naruko chuckled. "Yeah. Never thought anyone would describe even a version of myself as bookish, but it's the truth."

Natsu snickered. "We are what we are." He commented, lazily sprawling back against the cave wall. "And no two people are alike, it seems. Even us four."

Naruko moved to sit next to him. "You can be pretty wise sometimes, you know." She commented, meeting his eyes laughingly.

"Tch. Wisdom comes with age, imouto. I'm not old enough to be wise." Natsu waved her off, seeming a little embarrassed.

"I don't know. That sounds like what a wise person would say to me." Naruko wheedled.

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. I'm wise. Just don't tell anyone else, or they'll want me to do something about it."

Naruko stared at him in shock for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing. "You're so weird." She managed between chuckles. "And that almost sounded like something Shikamaru would say."

Natsu raised an eyebrow. Finally he replied. "I always did get along pretty well with that lazy-bones kid. Well, kinda anyways. Chouji and Shika always got along better. But Chouji got along with everyone."

Naruko nodded. "True." She slung her arm around Natsu's shoulders playfully. "So why did you go join Akatsuki? I'm really surprised they didn't kill you. What with Uchiha Madara and all."

Natsu sighed. "Since you asked, I suppose I can talk about it. It's really not something I like to discuss though. As I've said, I was merged with the Kyuubi completely by that point. It was something the fur ball really tried to prevent, but I got my hands on the Yondaime's sealing notes. After studying them for a while, I managed to discover how to allow the seal to…fade? Not really the word, but…needless to say, it resulted in merging the two of us. I took on enough youkai that my physical appearance changed, and perhaps my personality, too. I became a little more savage and….weird as it is to say it, bestial. Because of the merging, the Akatsuki had no reason to kill me. The Kyuubi, their objective, was gone. Plus, I was powerful enough that they didn't want to risk trying a fight. I pretty much scrapped their Bijuu plans with that one move. Madara disappeared into the shadows, and didn't bother us for a while. Pain turned his, and therefore Akatsuki's, attention towards other things, such as stopping the war. And as for why I joined Akatsuki….I had nowhere else to go. Other villages won't take in a Rogue Nin, and I don't really have any other skills….I was a kid. It's not easy to make it on your own. I knew that already. It was the only option available to me. And though it was very uncomfortable at first….it worked out for the best. Itachi taught me a lot. There was nothing in Konoha to go back to after Danzou became Hokage, and Sasuke after him."

Naruko sighed. "You say his name differently than Naruto and me. What did he…?"

Natsu's face closed off, blank. "I'd rather not talk about Sasuke."

Naruko sighed and rubbed her face. "Okay." She agreed quickly. "Whatever works. I didn't mean to upset you."

Natsu just shook his head wordlessly. After many long moments of thick silence, he stood and held out a hand to help Naruko up. "I'm going to head back. Come find me if you need anything else, or just want to talk. I promised Naruto I'd train with him." With a wave of farewell, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Naruko sighed, wishing she could take her words back, and stood to leave herself.

* * *

><p>Naruto let loose a strangled growl of frustration as he stormed towards the river, the infuriating chuckles of his sensei following him. Jiraiya was the most maddening, exasperating, <em>irritating<em> man alive! Plunging his hands into the freezing water, Naruto began to brush the mud that covered him from head to toe away. _I'll teach you some _earth_ jutsu, Naruto! It'll be _fun_! _It was fun for Jiraiya-sensei, all right. Not so much Naruto. Of course it would be fun for anyone to watch a student flounder around in a mud hole, trying to 'feel the essence of the earth!' Naruto hadn't heard such utter crap before in his life. And Jiraiya just kept grinning, snickering behind his sheaf of 'research' notes and pretending that he didn't see Naruto's anger.

Naruto finally scrubbed free most of the mud and turned to face Jiraiya.*Now that you're done messing with me, can we move on to the _real_ training?*

Jiraiya smiled sweetly. "We were training all along, Naruto! You just need to have more patience and respect for ways that you aren't used to, even if they seem a little strange."

Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits. *You have no right to lecture me on respect, _sensei. _I'm here because I wanted to learn things that would help me save my friend's lives, but if you keep this bullshit up, I'll find a new teacher.*

Jiraiya held up his hands in defense. "All right, all right. I was just trying to keep the mood light." He muttered under his breath, "Kids these days, can't take a joke."

Naruto's enhanced hearing picked it up and he glared at Jiraiya. *Training me shouldn't be a joke, not after all you've already done to me. Or should I say, _not_ done.*

Jiraiya scowled. "I'm no more used to this than you are, gaki. Give me a break. I never asked for a godson, you know. It wasn't my choice,"

*But it was your responsibility. And you ran away from it.* Naruto insisted, skin drawn tightly across his face in a snarl. *You know what, forget it. I don't think this is going to work. I'll just find a new teacher.* Naruto turned to leave, but Jiraiya seized his arm and hauled him back.

"Wait, gaki. Don't go; I'll take it seriously from now on, I promise." Jiraiya met Naruto's eyes, seeming sincere.

*Your promises don't mean much to me.* Naruto sneered, but he didn't try to leave again. *Fine. One more chance. Screw this one up and I'm really leaving.* He hated how his godfather made him act like this. He was normally a calm and collected person, but something about being with people who betrayed or hurt him made him vicious and angry, ready to lash out constantly. He didn't like it at all.

Jiraiya sighed. He really wasn't good around kids, and Naruto had a delicate mental health, with the Kyuubi and all the suffering he'd had to suffer through. He understood that it was partly his fault, but that didn't mean he had any idea what to do about it. Sure, he'd trained Minato. But Minato hadn't ever hated him…."What is it that you want from me, gaki?"

Naruto stared at the ground. _What a family is supposed to be like_, his mind immediately insisted. But he shoved the thought away. He didn't need a sense family from Jiraiya. He had three new siblings now. Yet, as much as he was loathe to admit it, he still wanted one thing from his godfather: recognition. But that was something earned, not given freely. *I don't want to feel angry every time I see you.* he turned towards the Toad Sage, eyes solemn. *As much as I don't like you, you're important to Konoha. I'm enough of a ninja to know that I need to get along with my comrades. As for what you _teach_ me, that's up to you.*

Jiraiya simply nodded. "Okay. How about this then: we'll both go home for today. I'll seriously think on what I will teach you, and tomorrow we'll meet at the same time. We'll both work professionally, and do our best to not annoy each other. Does that sound fine?"

Naruto nodded. *Then I'll leave first. Thanks.* The last word seemed to take some effort. He turned and left without giving Jiraiya a chance to respond.

The Toad Sage stared after his new protégé and scratched his head. "This gaki…." He sighed, turning to head back to his home.

Naruto let loose the tension from his shoulders, relieved. It seemed things would improve from this day forward. He was definitely thankful; he really did dislike how he behaved around Jiraiya. With a great sigh, he flopped down, spread-eagle on the soft grass.

He couldn't believe how quickly time was passing. It seemed like yesterday that his team had been in Wave, and now he was getting ready to fight in the final round of the Chuunin Exams. He hadn't had much time to dwell on what that meant for his career as a ninja, but it was all finally starting to settle in. _In less than a month, I could be a Chuunin. _The thought was sobering. Was he really ready for all the responsibilities that came along with a promotion?

It was a question he didn't yet have the answer to. The concept of holding other people's lives in his hands was something frightening to him. Staring into the sky, he wondered for the first time if he really had what it takes to be a great ninja.

He wasn't the type to doubt himself, but he also wasn't the kind of person who didn't think things completely through before deciding on a path. And this was definitely something he needed to think about more.

But he knew that he could never be anything but a ninja, if only for one reason: ninjas held the power in this age. If he wanted to change how things were run, to be a great ninja was the only path for him. He wouldn't be taken seriously, otherwise.

Arching his back in a cat-like stretch, Naruto stood again. Right now, he felt extremely tired of training. Reaching out tentatively with his chakra, he questioned, *Gaara?*

It took several minutes before he got a response. Gaara seemed a little tense, from what Naruto could tell. *What do you need, Naruto? I don't have much time.*

*Just wondering how things are going…with the invasion and all.* Naruto was curious, but it was also important to his other plans to know how Gaara was doing on his task.

*I've showed a select few my father's body, such as my sensei. Orochimaru does not know we know as of yet. We're hoping to keep it that way…there is no one in Suna on his level as of yet. I'm working to remedy that. Rest assured when the time comes, we will side with Konoha.* Gaara seemed…different somehow; almost more aristocratic. Perhaps it was because the demon's influence on his mind had finally lessened that more of his personality was beginning to show?

*Aa. Thanks, Gaara. Train hard.* A small smile settled on Naruto's face. He was gladdened to know Gaara was truly happier. It was nice to know all the monotonous hours of reading sealing texts were good for _something._

The whole conversation had taken almost an hour, what with the considerable distance between Suna and Konoha. It was good to know that his seals were effective for long distances, though. He hadn't been completely sure.

_Well, what now?_ He wasn't quite sure what he should be doing. Glancing at the sky, he sighed again. It was probably mealtime by now, but he wasn't hungry at all. A mission?

Yeah, he could do that. A mission sounded good. Hopefully the old man would allow him a solo mission. Or maybe he could find some other people milling around?

Mind made up, he walked towards the Sandaime's office. He was close by, so it wasn't far to walk. Entering the building, he quickly made his way to the Hokage's office and knocked politely. A muffled voice called him in.

Stepping inside, Naruto grinned. It was probably about time he gave the Old Man Hokage a seal, come to think of it. Pulling out his trusty notebook, he scribbled down his request.

Sarutobi agreed, and Naruto placed the seal swiftly and easily. After a quick test, he told the Sandaime, *I came for a mission, old man! I can go solo, or you can have me pick up some team members. I don't mind either one. But I'd like a _good_ mission.* he grinned to show he was joking….somewhat.

Sarutobi chuckled. "I can probably accommodate that request. Let me see what missions are available…and what other ninja are available." The elderly man scrounged around on the desk piled with paper for what he needed. "Ah, found them." He began flipping through the sheaf of papers, looking for the best candidate. Finally he stopped on one. "This one looks promising. It's an infiltration. Your seals should be of great help….and I do believe Hyuuga Neji is available for surveillance. As for a team leader…hm. Is Natsu available?"

Naruto's face split into a large grin. *He should be! We were going to train together tonight. Depending on the duration of the mission, we may still get the chance. Would you like me to call him in now?*

The Sandaime looked pleased. "That would be appreciated, Naruto. It seems I will be handing this mission over to him. Why don't you collect Neji and your things, and then wait at the gate?"

*Yes sir! But what about the fourth team member?* Naruto informed Natsu of the goings-on and regarded the old Hokage curiously.

Sarutobi smiled. "Missions are not always performed in four-man cells. I do believe with your combined skill set you can manage."

Naruto grinned and nodded before waving and disappearing out the door. He jogged to his house. After grabbing his things, Naruto frowned. He was not looking forward to visiting the Hyuuga compound, but at least he had orders and the Hyuuga Clan would not blame him for 'visiting'. He hoped. It was hard to judge if they hated him more or less than they cared about a shinobi's orders.

At least he knew where the large compound was, due to having to constantly avoid it. When he reached the gates, he simply wrote (in his best penmanship) that the Hokage-sama was requesting Hyuuga Neji for a mission that was to leave immediately.

After several minutes of waiting awkwardly outside the gates, Neji appeared. He seemed surprised at who had come to fetch him. "Uzumaki Naruto?" the words were mumbled but Naruto's senses were very sharp.

Realizing the trouble it would present _not_ to be able to speak on a mission, Naruto sighed. It seemed that the number of communication seals he had to make was extraordinarily high. His team, his 'siblings', Gaara, Shino, the Hokage….and now Neji. He showed Neji the same explanation he had showed the Hokage earlier. The stoic Hyuuga frowned. "Does this seal interfere with others already present?"

The question seemed strange to Naruto, but he shook his head 'no' anyways.

The Hyuuga exhaled. "Then proceed. It would be bothersome, should an emergency situation arise, if I could not communicate quickly with you."

Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes and placed the seal carefully. *It's done. We should get moving. We're meeting the team leader at the gate.*

Neji just nodded, his expression not changing from its cold blankness. It was a very stiff walk back to the gate, and Naruto inwardly hoped that it would never happen again. He didn't know Neji very well, and he didn't really have any desire to. Hyuugas in general did not think very well of the "Kyuubi brat."

Natsu was waiting at the gate, just as Naruto said. He greeted them both with a nod of his head. "I have the mission scroll right here. Before we get moving, I should explain a few things. You two know each other from the Chuunin Exams, correct?" At Neji's nod, he continued, "Good. I know Naruto well, but we've never met. I'm Natsu Uzari, a Jounin." He gave a small but formal bow, which surprised Naruto. Neji returned it. "Hyuuga Neji. What of the mission?" Natsu smirked. "Aa. It's an infiltration mission, B-rank. There should be unorganized ninja but no missing nin, or any powerhouses. Of course, things often don't go according to plan." The redheaded Jounin's sharp smile told Naruto that things not going according to plan wouldn't exactly be unwelcome. Once again, Naruto reminded himself that despite Natsu's looks, he was nearly a Kage-level ninja. This mission would seem a little boring to him. Deep in his thoughts he quickly brought himself back out, because Natsu started speaking again. "We won't be leaving the Fire Country, but we still have a ways to travel. This gang of ninja is near the south border. Any questions?"

"How many days do you estimate before we reach our destination?" Neji wanted to know.

"Depends on the pace. I would say we should be there sometime tomorrow, under normal circumstances. May I ask what equipment you two have brought along?"

Instead of answering, Naruto opened his weapons pouch and showed Natsu. Shuriken, kunai, wire, and exploding tags; the standard issue. Besides that, Naruto only carried his two Denizen blades, which he hadn't really trained with yet. But it was good to prepare in case of an emergency.

Neji answered after Natsu had finished inspecting Naruto's weapons. "Standard issue of kunai and shuriken, along with five exploding tags."

Natsu nodded, satisfied. "Good. I don't think you should need any of them, but it's good to be safe. Is there anything else you two need before we go?"

"What is the goal of this mission?" Neji asked roboticly.

Natsu kept his face in an easy smile, but he wanted to frown. He'd forgotten how annoying Neji had been before the Exams, with his stiff exterior. "Information. This small band of ninja has somehow managed to stumble upon an illegal weapons source. We need to find out who's supplying them. We will have to pose as rogue Konoha nin, under henge of course. The mission might take anywhere from a few days to a few months. The timeframe hinges on how easily they trust outsiders."

Neji's expression didn't change, but Natsu had studied under Itachi for _years. _He could read blank faces easier than a book...because reading had never been his favorite. "Don't worry about the Chuunin Exams. If it comes to that, you'll be sent back and we'll henge others in your place. I doubt it will be that long. Forming a band of ninja in the Fire Country isn't the smartest move. Based on that, they can't be too intelligent. As far as training, go as hard as you like. I doubt either of you can regulate your chakra levels well enough to fool them, so the more you use to train, the less they'll think you have. This is good for us, because they'll trust you more if you're perceived as weaker. I shouldn't have to mention this, but I need to anyways. Do not train where they can catch even a glimpse of you. If they catch you training, the mission will fail."

Neji and Naruto both nodded wordlessly. They were both good ninja, even if they were still Genin. Neither would accept failure on any mission.

Natsu nodded back. "Good then. I believe that covers everything. Be alert as we go; Neji, take the lead. Naruto and I will watch your back." He didn't say anything about the Hyuuga's blind spot, but it was heavily implied.

Neji understood. "Hai." Activating his Byakugan, Neji was the first to step out of Konoha. Naruto and Natsu walked right after him.

"We'll head straight south for today. We'll be stopping in Brigandell Forge for the night." Natsu told Neji.

The Hyuuga simply nodded, turning to the south and jumping to the trees. Natsu turned to Naruto. "I'll take the left side, you go right. Stay alert." The three began running, jumping from tree to tree. Though Neji was in the lead, Natsu set the pace. It was a difficult and tiring, but Naruto felt as if Natsu was bored with it.

The redhead _did_ look as if going this fast was as natural as breathing. Naruto and Neji were both very fast and had lots of stamina, especially for their ages. But even they were having a little trouble.

By the end of the day, Naruto's body ached. Brigandell Forge was a fairly large town. Ears ringing with the sound of the bustling city, Naruto almost missed Natsu's words. "We'll be staying here for one night only. I have the gear required to camp out, but if you wish we can afford a hotel. The client for this mission is paying for our travel expenses, along with the mission fee."

Naruto looked to Neji. The Hyuuga seemed indifferent. With a shrug, Naruto told them both, *I'd just as well camp out. It's much cheaper, safer, and we can train farther outside of the town if we camp out.*

Neji still looked blank to Naruto. Natsu seemed to know what he was thinking, though. "Very well, then. We'll camp out. Naruto and Neji, search for a good campsite, then meet back here in five minutes. I'm going into the town to get some food. We have ration bars, but I'd prefer something that actually tastes good."

Naruto chuckled. *Amen to _that!_ I hate ration bars. But they're a necessary evil, I suppose. Still, I'd rather have something else, too. Come on, Neji.* He dragged the apathetic Hyuuga away to search for a campsite. It took about six minutes to find one that both boys deemed worthy. When they returned, Natsu was already back. The redhead held several boxes of food. From the aroma, Naruto would guess it was curry.

After walking to the campsite Natsu unsealed a large tent and some dishes. The tent was quickly and wordlessly assembled by Neji and Naruto, while Natsu began distributing the food into dishes. Hammerings the last stake into the ground, Neji and Naruto joined Natsu by the food. They lit no fire. Natsu handed them both a dish of curry and rice, which they gratefully accepted.

After dinner, Natsu used a small water jutsu to wash their dishes and sealed them back away. The sky was dark by now, and the stars twinkled. Naruto stood up. *Shall we train now?* he asked his 'brother'. Natsu hid a smile. "Sure. You're welcome to join us, Neji. Although I would guess you'd rather train on your own. The Hyuuga style is best left to Hyuugas, after all."

Neji straightened. "I will train on my own. But perhaps later I will take you up on your offer." Even though he was cold and perhaps conceited, he was not dumb enough to pass up an offer to train with a Jounin. One did not become a Jounin with weakness.

"Okay. Stay within hearing distance, please." Natsu waved over his shoulder as he followed Naruto into a nearby clearing.

Neji disappeared in the opposite direction, but didn't go far.

Naruto cocked his head and looked up at the redhead. *What can you teach me?*

Natsu laughed. "Otouto, let's at least warm up before you start pestering me for techniques. I can think of a few that you would probably enjoy learning, but…we don't have time for everything. I'll think about it while we warm up."

Naruto pouted a little bit, but he obeyed and began to run through a series of katas. When Natsu began his movements, though, Naruto's stilled. He watched with detectable awe as Natsu _danced_, for danced was the only word worthy of the graceful movements. It was then that Naruto actually took in the differences between the two of them. For being mirror versions of the other, they were different shinobi. Naruto was strong and fast, but usually quite clumsy in his movements. He was not good with planning, but instead focused on using what he knew to take down his opponents, rather than figuring out more.

Natsu, on the other hand, had an inherent grace that Naruto could never mimic. Whereas Naruto was very burly for a kid of his age and definitely had the build of a soldier, Natsu was slim and slight. Looking at the redheaded Jounin, he looked more like a girly boy than a trained killer.

Noticing Naruto's lack of movement, Natsu stopped. "Something wrong, otouto?"

Naruto shook his head to clear it. *Just thinking, sorry.* he began his katas again, this time focusing on what he was doing rather than being distracted (and a little jealous) of his aniki.

After the warm up, Natsu came to Naruto's side. "I think now would be a good time to do some training with the Kyuubi's chakra, since we'll be moving on in the morning."

Naruto immediately grew apprehensive. *You don't have the Kyuubi anymore, right? What happens if I lose control? And….Neji's close enough to notice.*

Natsu sighed. He'd forgotten how insecure he'd been at Naruto's age. Meeting Naruto's eyes with his own, he murmured, "It's fine. I merged with the Kyuubi, which means I still have his chakra…even if it's mixed in with mine. As for Neji…he's focused on his training. Besides, it won't matter if he knows anyways. He can't tell anyone, and you aren't exactly friends."

Naruto looked as if he wanted to argue, but he didn't. Instead, he nodded. *Okay then. How do you want to do this, then?*

"You've spoken to Kurama…err, Kurou I think you called him-before, right?" At Naruto's nod, Natsu continued. "Okay then. I think it's time we paid him a visit."

*We?* Naruto was confused.

"We." Natsu confirmed. Taking a step closer to Naruto, he touched his fingers to the blonde's forehead and closed his eyes.

When the two opened their eyes, they were inside Naruto's seal. *Isn't this my jutsu?* Naruto wondered. Natsu grinned, his violet eyes sparkling. "I made a similar jutsu, believe it or not. But yeah, they're probably close to the same. I brought you here to check up on something I've been suspicious about."

Naruto's brow wrinkled in confusion, but he didn't say anything. They walked through the mindscape to the bars of the Kyuubi's cage. A deep rumbling laugh came from the cage.

**/So the kit finally comes to visit. It's been a while. Decided you didn't need my help since you became a Kitsune Sage?/ **Kurama's voice was deep and gravelly.

"He's not the only one who came to visit." Natsu stepped forwards, scowling at the Kyuubi. "I've got a bone to pick with you, fuzz ball."

The giant fox bared his teeth and the redhead. **/So you've come to meddle, have you? I can smell my power on you. You must be one of the puny humans the kit brought here./ **

"All correct except for the puny bit there." Glancing at Naruto, Natsu sighed. "Why is it that you haven't healed his vocal chords? I know it can't be impossible. After what you…the _other_ you…has healed for me before, you can't honestly expect me to believe you can't heal some measly vocal chords."

A sinister laugh was the fox's reaction. **/So you've caught my lie. I suppose that wasn't bad, for a feeble human./**

Naruto's eyes were wide with shock. *You…you could've healed me? I don't understand…*

**/Yes, he thought I was helping him. Foolish kit, why would I serve a human? I suppose the game is up. I would've liked to have gotten further along in my plan, but it seems I've been unveiled./ **Kurama grinned, his evil chakra bubbling against the bars.

Natsu growled. The inhuman sound made Naruto's hair stand on end. ** "**Don't test me, fox. I have the power of a nine-tailed demon, along with my own power. What is it you want in return for healing Naruto? Name your price."

**/I wish for freedom, but that is something you will not give. Instead I will take back some of what is rightfully mine. A tail's worth of chakra should do. If you give me a tail's worth of your youkai, I will heal the human kit./ **Kurama's voice grew snakeskin smooth.

Natsu let loose a breath. Giving a evil chakra powerhouse even more chakra was not advisable…but eventually that chakra would be taken by Naruto. "I will give it gradually. Otherwise I might kill your host. Heal him first, and then I will begin. On my blood, I vow to uphold my words."

Naruto's eyes were darting back and forth between Natsu and Kurama. He knew what was going on, but it wasn't registering in his brain. Everything seemed extra brightly colored, and he felt a little dizzy.

**/I will do as I have said. If you do not, I will take your blood. Now be gone from here, so that I may work./ **

Natsu nodded, then touched Naruto's shoulder. "We're going…." They returned to the real world.

Naruto immediately touched his throat, then swallowed. "Natsu?" his voice came out rough and hoarse, but _he could speak._ His eyes filled up, and tears began to course down his cheeks.

Natsu smiled, and it was as if the sun came out. Naruto stared with wide eyes at that smile, for once completely open and real. "I'll take that as a thank you." The redhead chuckled.

Naruto enveloped Natsu into the fiercest hug the older had ever experienced, and, still crying, buried his face into the redhead's shoulder.

Natsu laughed and patted Naruto's back. "It's okay, I'm happy to help otouto. What are big brothers for?"

"But you had to give up your chakra for me….won't that hinder you? I don't want to cause you trouble!" Naruto almost sobbed, voice muffled.

"It's fine, Naruto. I have so much chakra I don't know what to do with it. I'd gladly give up all of my chakra if it would help you. I don't have much use for it anyways." Natsu ruffled Naruto's hair teasingly.

Naruto finally pulled back and wiped his face, embarrassed. "Sorry I got your shoulder all wet…" he mumbled.

Natsu winked. "It's okay. Don't be embarrassed, otouto." He messed up Naruto's hair again, just for good measure.

Naruto scowled and shoved Natsu's hand off. "Natsu!" he reprimanded, nose scrunched up in annoyance. But his eyes were full of happiness.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop….for now." He poked Naruto's forehead and laughed at the face the blonde made. "Now are we actually going to do some training?"

"Okay, aniki! What will you show me?" Naruto felt like a little kid, but at this point he didn't mind. He was just so _happy. _

Natsu paused to think. "How about I show you one of the techniques Itachi helped me create? I would imagine you don't have any Genjutsu techniques."

Naruto shook his head. "Nope. I've never been very good with them. I don't have good enough chakra control to do the really intricate ones, and the rest aren't very effective." He was still marveling at the sound of his own voice…though it seemed a little narcissistic.

Natsu nodded in understanding. "All right. Well the jutsu is called Gen'ei Dou (llusory Muddle), and it's designed to mess with the opponent's senses….."


	25. Chapter 24: Mission Arc: Pt 1

{{Do you remember the time  
>Our tears fell down from the sky<br>Although I've blocked all of my feelings  
>Even the ones caused by being kind<br>Every now and then I hear a voice  
>Inside me seem to cry<p>

~Sign by Flow}}

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><p><strong>AN: What's up? Here's the next chapter. –ducks as objects fly- Gomen! My computer had to be sent in to tech support and has been gone for about two months. Not to mention that with classes starting I've literally had no free time. Forgive me….-chuckles- But yeah. Here's your next chapter. **

**More of Natsu's past for you, and a glimpse at what's going on back in Konoha with Naruto's teammates. Please read and review! *puppy dog eyes no jutsu***

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Mission Arc: Part 1<strong>

With a silent gasp of pain, Natsu bolted upright, sweat already cooling on his skin. After grabbing a kunai from under his pillow, he glanced around alertly. He relaxed when he saw Neji and Naruto sleeping peacefully. _Just a dream…_

_Naruto._ He abruptly remembered the deal he'd made the night before, with Kurama. _A tail's worth of my chakra….I sincerely hope I can protect them all without it._ Shifting his legs under him, Natsu knelt over Naruto and carefully placed his right hand over the blonde boy's forehead. Slowly he began to release the demonic chakra to the Kyuubi, in trace amounts so as not to wake or harm his younger counterpart.

Rising as silently as possible, Natsu stepped outside the tent and squinted at the sky. It was still dark outside, the sun just barely beginning to rise. They needed to be moving soon, but he began resealing things around their campsite instead of waking his squad mates. After making sure everything was how it had been when they arrived, he finally reentered the tent and shook Neji and Naruto awake.

They both were vigilant at once, something that gave Natsu a bit of inward pride. He spoke softly. "It is time to leave."

Neji gave him a curt nod and stepped outside the tent without a word. Naruto rolled his eyes and followed, muttering, "Prick."

Natsu felt a small smile curl his lips upwards. They could be so amusing. He followed them out and efficiently dismantled the tent, sealing it back into one of the scrolls he carried.

Turning, he caught an odd expression on Naruto's face. "Something wrong, otouto?" he questioned.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his temples. "I just realized I forgot to inform Jiraiya-sensei that I'd be…absent. Hopefully the Sandaime informed him that I was on a mission…I don't really want to return home to such an awkward situation."

Natsu chuckled quietly. "I'm sure the old geezer didn't overlook such a thing. He isn't the Hokage for nothing, Naruto. If you'd like you could send a summon, though."

Naruto smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess."

They were both startled when Neji spoke, very belatedly. "You two are related?"

Dryly amused violet eyes met worried blue. Natsu answered for the both of them, turning to face Neji. "Not by blood, but we might as well be."

Neji frowned. "I do not understand."

Natsu's mouth twitched. Whether in amusement or annoyance Naruto could not tell. "Coming from a clan such as the Hyuuga, I am sure it is difficult to comprehend. Your concept of family is…different than most. Suffice to say our situations created a bond between the two of us comparable to brothers."

It was easy to tell the Hyuuga prodigy did still not fully understand, but he said nothing else. Natsu moved on. "Come. We should get moving; standing here chatting loses precious time."

Naruto and Neji both nodded and they began to travel, in the same formations as the previous day. Around mid-afternoon they stopped for a quick lunch break.

Several hours later, Natsu halted them both. "We're outside Nekkegi Village, the location of our mission. I have separate mission scrolls for both of you. I'm also going to give you comm links. These are to be kept hidden at all times, and are made to be undetectable. Please do not use them unless necessary. Every night at eleven we'll meet right where we are now to report our findings and progress. Please stay in henge at all times. Any questions?"

Naruto cocked his head. "Mission funds?"

"Included in your scrolls." Natsu clarified. "Neji?" He handed over mission scrolls to the two.

"You have covered everything." The stoic Hyuuga replied.

"Good then. We'll be splitting up now." Natsu made hand seals and performed the henge technique. After the puff of smoke cleared, he looked the same except for his clothes, eye color, and hair color. He wore basic mercenary garb. His normally striking violet eyes had been turned into a muted hazel shade, and his hair was a nondescript brown.

Neji and Naruto both performed their henges as well. Naruto's henge had him in the guise of a young prospective ninja. His eyes were less startlingly blue and more gray colored, and his hair was black. Neji's cover was a missing nin from Kiri. His normally long hair was short and covered one eye. His eyes were an ordinary green shade instead of white.

Natsu looked over them and nodded with approval. "I'm sure this isn't necessary, but I want to cover all my bases. Neji, be sure that if you happen to use your Byakugan you also use a small Genjutsu to cover it up." Neji nodded curtly in reply.

"Dismissed; meet back here at eleven. Contact me if you run across any problems." Natsu waited for the other two to leave first. Neji went to the west gate of town with a nod at the other two. Natsu made the hand seals for a Shunshin and was about to leave when Naruto stopped him with a touch and a sigh. "Natsu, there's something we need to talk about. What happened between you and Sasuke?"

As soon as the sentence left his mouth, Natsu's iron control slipped. A chilling north wind rustled their clothes and matched the frigid expression on the redhead's face. "Is this really necessary at this moment, Naruto?" The younger blonde resisted the urge to drop it. "It's something I need to know. I know the basic events in your life but not the specifics. I have to be aware of what Sasuke could…become."

Naruto watched Natsu's expression closely. A myriad of complicated emotions passed across the Jounin's face, and he could only recognize one for sure: pain. A distant sort of blankness obscured his face after a moment as his control returned. Voice low and tight, Natsu finally complied with the request. "When I look at Sasuke, even if it isn't the Sasuke I knew, all I see is the hate of others towards me. I see the suffering I went through so that others could step above me in life, or gain just a little more power." His words were delivered in a monotone, but they had a bitter aftertaste. "In Sasuke, I see hate personified. At one point, Sasuke was my goal; the one I wanted to surpass. When we got on the same team, things changed. I thought we'd become friends." Violet eyes stared into sky blue, troubled and full of a deep, lingering pain. "I was wrong."

Mesmerized by the despair in his brother's words, Naruto listened with rapt attention as Natsu continued, "He never thought of me as anything other than a tool to gain more power. It was painful….we were so alike, and I didn't want anything other than acknowledgement. I wanted to know that there was someone else like me, someone who could understand the pain I felt. I thought that if anyone could understand me, it would be Sasuke. Sasuke knew firsthand the pain of being used by others. I'd always thought that because he experienced the same pain, he would never hurt me that way. But the night of the massacre, Sasuke's reason died as well. He didn't care who he had to step on to reach his goal, or who he wounded on the path to kill Itachi. It took me so much time to realize that."

Drawing in a shaky breath, Natsu turned his face away from Naruto. His body was shaking; he was unsure why. "You already know that I brought him back to Konoha when he tried to go to Orochimaru for power. I told you I was banished for that; while it's true in part, I didn't tell you the whole truth. I was in Konoha for longer before they decided to execute me. Not as a shinobi or a citizen, but as a prisoner. The year after I retrieved Sasuke, I lived in a cell. Danzou was named the next Hokage…Tsunade was deemed under 'demonic influence' and forcefully removed from office. Everyone I'd ever known turned their backs on me; Kakashi moved on with Sakura and Sasuke and continued to teach them, leaving me to die. Jiraiya and Tsunade were so upset at their powerlessness that they left the village once more. I never saw either of them again. The rest of the Rookie Nine….well, most just pretended they'd never met me. Chouji, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Shino were the exceptions. They protested, but there was really nothing they could do. They were just brats at the time, just like I was. The same was true with Neji and Lee. The rest…just didn't care, or didn't know me well enough to know better."

Calming himself, Natsu finally turned back to Naruto. "The reason I was kept alive for a year was for medical experiments. Before the Kyuubi was gone, they wanted to figure out ways to take his power. It would be a _waste_ to lose such a gift, after all." Natsu's voice broke and he held back tears, pressing his lips tightly together. "Though there were legitimate experiments, many were agonizing. They also tortured me, just because they could. Looking back at the things they did, if it weren't for the Kyuubi, I would've died so many times. They didn't hold back, and weren't really concerned if they killed me, considering I was slated to die anyways. Danzou would be mad, sure, but it wasn't a huge deal."

The Jounin's jaw worked as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Sasuke…he became like Danzou's assistant. He never tortured me physically…didn't want to get his hands dirty I guess. But he always drained my chakra whenever he saw me, left me weak and vulnerable. Their experimentation discovered that my own chakra was de-aging, soothing, and could heal wounds. The Uzari gift, I suppose. Even with that, each time Sasuke came he was happy to taunt me, to tell me how weak I was. The torture was painful, but his words hurt more than anything else anyone could've done. To hear the same things I'd heard all my life from someone I'd trusted was the true torture, and Danzou knew it. They both took satisfaction in how low I'd become, how far I'd fallen." He could no longer hold the tears in, and they coursed down his face.

The sight was heart wrenching yet strangely beautiful. Naruto still couldn't look away, could barely blink. The sharp pain in his chest as he listened to the man he'd come to view as a brother was astonishing. There was a long pause as the redhead tried to collect himself. Crouching down and staring at the ground, tears still falling, Natsu finally continued in a ragged voice: "I tried to kill myself twice. Both times, the Kyuubi's chakra alone kept me alive. After that I gave up. I was going to die eventually; I just had to wait until they killed me. I didn't care to live anymore, so the torture stopped. They couldn't do anything else to hurt me. They never did find a way to use the Kyuubi's chakra. It poisoned anyone other than Sasuke who tried to use it, and they died. Sasuke couldn't control the chakra very well himself. I suspect the only reason he could take it all was because of the cursed Uchiha blood. After all, bloodlines are formed when demons are close to dying and a human steals their power, or so the theory is. Whatever the reason was, Sasuke was the only one who could successfully possess the Kyuubi's chakra other than me."

"Sasuke wanted to keep me alive, but not for any sentimental reasons. He just wanted a chakra battery available whenever he felt like stealing some. Danzou disagreed, though, so my execution was to go on as planned. That's when Tsunade sent Asuma to sneak in to rescue me. I don't remember much of what happened after that: my mind was half gone in those days anyways. It took some time for me to find myself again. I lived on the run alone for about two years after that, recovering. Once again, I'd probably be dead several times over if it hadn't been for the Kyuubi. Sometimes, when I was at my weakest, he took control of my body and got me out of trouble. Eventually the Akatsuki approached me, and I went with them. I didn't have a reason to live, so I didn't mind them extracting Kurama from me." Finally Natsu's tears stopped and he met Naruto's gaze with bloodshot eyes.

"A problem arose, though. Because for a year my chakra had been stolen, my body's resistance to the poison decreased. It caused me extreme pain to touch the Kyuubi's chakra at all, let alone use a large amount. We assumed the experiments had somehow damaged my resistance to the Bijuu chakra. While this didn't bother any of the Akatsuki members, Itachi noticed something important. The Kyuubi's chakra was killing me. Probably only Tsunade herself could've saved my life at that point. If they had attempted to extract the Kyuubi's chakra, we would've both died instantly. In essence, the poisonous chakra was so intertwined with my body that ripping it free would've caused every organ and system to shut down instantaneously. Madara's plans were foiled and he disappeared into the shadows. Pain and Itachi searched frantically for a solution."

A dry cough interrupted Natsu's words before he continued, "Eventually, Itachi found something, a seal. The seal was a variant of de-aging, similar to Tsunade's. In principle it would've been used to soothe the aches and pains of old age. But Itachi was a genius, and he saw what it could become. Pain and Itachi modified the seal and used it to return my chakra system to the way it had been before I was imprisoned. It saved my life but caused many other problems. My two chakras were no longer merged correctly as the Yondaime's seal had allowed. I was in great pain still; my chakra was trying to destroy the Kyuubi's, and vice versa. We ended up putting another seal on top of the other two that merged my chakras again. This in turn caused another side effect: I completely merged with the Kyuubi. He _is_ a being of pure chakra, after all. His memories hit met all at once and I fell into a coma for several months before Itachi used Tsukuyomi to rid me of the bulk of those memories. When I awoke, my appearance had changed to how it is now. It took me several months to adjust to the Kyuubi's power and strength. I broke many doorknobs and got headaches often because my vision had improved so dramatically. My body was still weaker than it had been before since I'd not trained in so long, but absorbing Kurama also gave me a lot of extra power to fall back on. Pain had Itachi train me. I may have ruined their plans, but I still had the chakra of the Ninetails plus my own, so I could be useful to them. It was awkward at first, but after Itachi told me the truth about the massacre we became something resembling friends. I would never call us friends, because we didn't trust each other with everything, but it was similar. We never talked about Sasuke…He loved Sasuke a lot and I didn't want to let him down, even if it wasn't my fault. I never told anyone until now." Natsu finally stood, seeming a little unsteady on his feet.

Naruto quickly rushed to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to support and comfort him. He frowned when he realized Natsu's whole body was shaking. He didn't know enough about torture to know how someone would react, so he had no basis to tell if Natsu was reacting normally according to his abuse or not. What he did know is that when the redheaded Jounin pulled away, rigid control slipped back into place and all trace of stress except slightly red eyes gone, he was very worried. Just how strong was Natsu's mask?

"I only saw Sasuke once after that…when he came after Itachi." Natsu stared into the distance, memories flashing through his mind…

-FLASHBACK-

_Natsu stared, eyes wide with surprise and a little fear. "Sa..suke.." He hated how his voice was shaky and uncertain. Itachi seemed surprised as well, not that anything registered on his poker face. But Natsu had been around him for years and he could tell. Then again, Itachi didn't know what had happened between Natsu and Sasuke; no one did. Because of that he had a right to be surprised at Natsu's sudden vulnerability, especially when he'd only seen the tough-as-nails exterior Natsu had put up. _

_Sasuke didn't seem all that surprised, and he smirked. "Natsu…I'd wondered for a while where you disappeared to. I was a pleased when you disappeared; I'd rather keep you alive than have you executed. And now that Danzou's stepped down, I can do just that."_

_Itachi cocked his head to the side robotically. "You are the Hachidaime Hokage, then?" _

_Sasuke turned to face his brother, eyes filled with cold fury. "That is right. I came to kill you, nii-san. And since Natsu is here, I may as well take him prisoner." _

_Natsu's face paled, and he froze in place. Memories of the torture and abuse he'd gone through in the prisons filled his mind, and he couldn't break away. He thought he'd suppressed this, overcome this, but the memories just kept coming…._

_Itachi watched Natsu, seemingly apathetic. Inwardly he was wondering what his foolish little brother had done to make the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki act this way. "I'm afraid I can't let you take Natsu-kun." _

_Sasuke's eyes flashed with something, and Itachi held back a fond smile when he realized it had been jealousy. Foolish, foolish little brother…_

"_Why are you protecting him?" Sasuke hissed, whirling around to look, really and truly_ look, at Natsu.

_His eyes were a different color now. They were once a shining, brilliant blue, a blue that he'd never seen anywhere else but the sky. Now they were a turbulent, pearlescent violet. Eyes with a terrible depth; a hypnotic set of orbs that peered bleakly from across a gaping chasm of agony. Eyes with a broken faith in them, the eyes of someone whose innocent belief in the goodness of others is lost. __There was pain, betrayal, fear, despair, and a void greater than death. _

_It was then that Sasuke understood the true Natsu. The genuine Natsu felt as if he'd deserved everything that happened to him. Sasuke finally understood that nobody hated Natsu as much as he hated himself. Though Sasuke had considered himself an Avenger all these years and built up his hatred, he would now admit that his hatred paled in comparison to Natsu's. He, at last, comprehended how deeply his pitiful hatred had wounded someone who had been nothing but hurt their entire life. _

_In essence, Sasuke's hatred and driven the nail into Natsu's coffin. _

_The realization took his breath away. He was about to say something, to ask if it was really true, but he was pulled out of the sudden epiphany by Itachi's voice. "Naruto-kun is my student." _

_All the sudden guilt and emotion he'd felt at once disappeared, and hatred filled his entire soul once more as he zeroed in on his traitorous older brother, forgetting his momentary regret. "Uchiha Itachi….I will kill you!" _

-END FLASHBACK-

Shaking his head to clear it, Natsu continued, "It didn't end well. He fought Itachi, and they both came close to death. In the end I knocked Sasuke out and saved Itachi. I…I wish I knew what was happening to the Itachi from _my_ world now. But…I'll just have to move on."

Naruto frowned. "I am sorry for what you have suffered. I'm sorry I took you from your friends and everything that mattered to you. But Natsu, you have to know…nothing that happened was your fault! In no way were you responsible for Sasuke and Danzou's actions!"

Natsu only smiled at him in a wearily indulgent way, like a jaded adult would to a child who is too young to understand, and said nothing. "We've talked about this long enough; we have a mission to perform. Please don't bring this up again, Naruto. I don't know if I can bear to talk about it again." Naruto tried to memorize his surrogate brother's facial expression; it was the saddest thing he'd ever seen. The echo of pain that was there was the pain of an entire planet. The pain called out, _screamed _for help, but Natsu said nothing, asked for nothing. He had resigned himself to the excruciating pain. Looking into those pools of troubled violet, Naruto understood that Natsu was broken in a way that couldn't be repaired with all the effort in the world. "I am sorry." Natsu spoke with a painful smile, disappearing in a Shunshin before Naruto could protest.

Naruto let loose a long, shaky breath. Running his hands through his hair, he croaked to the silent trees, "I had no idea." Looking to the sky he sighed deeply, from the pit of his soul. "No idea what he went through. And…he still hasn't told me everything. That was only a few years of his life." Pacing around in a circle, he began to talk to himself, trying to sort out his racing thoughts. "I can't believe Sasuke would do that…how could he do that to his own teammate?" He stopped pacing abruptly as a frightening thought occurred to him. _Sasuke and Natsu's Sasuke are the same person…would the Sasuke I know do that to me? _He hoped not. But what scared him was he could not say with one hundred percent certainty that Sasuke would never hurt him in that way. He wasn't _sure._

The mission. Focus on the mission. Shutting down his chilling thoughts, Naruto removed his mission scroll and scanned it. Walking joltingly, Naruto entered the city. It wasn't a ninja village so there was no security at the gates. Sighing inwardly he patted the mission scroll absently as he thought of what he was to do. He'd never really been alone in a foreign place before, and even though he'd been alone practically his whole life, he was at a loss as to what he should be doing right now. Tugging at his clothing with a frown, he adjusted the unfamiliar garment. It was uncomfortably loose and caused too much sound when he moved for his tastes, but he supposed there was nothing to be done about it this time.

Natsu would be taking care of most of the real work. He and Neji were there to gather information and as backup, and not much else. Ending his fidgeting, he began to mingle in with the crowds in the streets. He'd never really done a mission like this, but he supposed the best way to go about it would be to play to his own strengths. Keeping that in mind, he began to look for someone close to his age to speak to, or even someone in need of a helping hand. When you helped someone out, they were always more willing to spill information.

He walked a long time before he found someone that fit the profile. It was a girl that appeared around his age. She was struggling to carry several bags of books. Swooping in and taking his chance, Naruto lifted several of the bags from her grasp. "Need some help?" he asked smoothly.

The girl jumped in surprise and released her hold. "Um, yes, thanks for your help. That's very kind of you."

Naruto just smiled in response. "Why are you carrying all these books around with you, anyways? It seems like a pretty heavy load. Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Yuurei! It's good to meet you."

The girl blinked in surprise. "I'm delivering these to my professor. I work part-time for him. Nice to meet you, I'm Suzume. I haven't seen you around, are you new to town?"

"That's right, I just arrived. I'm looking for work, but I doubt I'll find it here. So in the meantime, I'm just treating myself to a vacation." He chuckled. "What's been going on lately in this town? Anything you could tell me would be great. I might just decide to move on to the next town if things aren't so good here."

The girl sighed. "There's actually been a lot of trouble recently. I wouldn't suggest trying to find work here if you don't want to be pulled into something…unsavory."

Naruto hid a smile at that. "What kind of trouble, if you don't mind me asking?"

Suzume looked around nervously before answering, "There's a gang of ninja; they act like bandits. They've been terrorizing the town and doing practically whatever you want. So if you're a ninja I'd suggest you leave now. We don't need any more of you running around causing problems."

Naruto held up his hands in protest. "Hey, come on now! We're not all like that. I'm not here to cause trouble for anyone…unless they're doing something wrong."

Suzume stopped walking. "We're here. You can hand me back my stuff now."

Sighing, Naruto shook his head. "I'll deliver it to your professor. I already came this far, might as well finish the job."

Suzume sighed. "All right, then. It's just through this door and up two floors." She seemed reluctant to speak with him any longer, so he quickly delivered the books and left. _Strike one. _

_There has to be something else going on if she's scared to say something…a few barely trained ninja shouldn't be able to cause city-wide fear. _Naruto's mind raced with possibilities and he turned started to turn his attention inwards before he remembered that Kurou…no, the Kyuubi, was no longer someone he could trust. The unexpected jolt of pain he felt at that thought startled him, and then he felt foolish. It was his fault for trusting a centuries-old bloodthirsty demon in the first place. And his pain…his pain was nothing compared to what Natsu had been through.

The comm in his ear suddenly crackled to life. It was Neji. "I've found something. I think it would be best for us to meet early."

Natsu's voice spoke up before Naruto could. "I was about to suggest the same thing. I've found something quite interesting as well. Let me scout around for a place to meet. Naruto, stay where you are for now. You're somewhat close to where I am. Neji, head southwest a little." They both did as commanded. About ten minutes later, the Jounin commanded, "Meet me at Genji's Lounge. It's a pub close to me, and fairly visible from the main street."

Naruto had walked past it previously. "Understood." Neji also gave his agreement. They were both there within five minutes. Naruto was the last and he joined Natsu and Neji at an isolated table.

Natsu wasn't avoiding his gaze, but the Jounin's face was studiously blank. Neji, unaware of the tension, spoke up first. "These are no mere ninja. There are several missing nin among them. There is one called Kenji Roka. He is an A-rank missing nin from Kusagakure. In addition to him, there are three other B-rank missing nin: two from Iwa, and one from Kumo."

Natsu bit back a curse. "Wonderful. Looks like we'll be requesting backup. I could take Kenji, but I wouldn't leave two Genin to fight three Jounin, even if you two are exceptional. I found out about their motives rather than their members. They've been intercepting the supply trains headed to Tea Country. They're trying to build up supplies and money; my guess is they're planning an attack. On who…well, that's the million dollar question."

"So is our next course of action?" Naruto questioned.

Natsu smiled. "It was really just a scouting mission anyways. We just hold down the fort until reinforcements arrive, then take them down. Missing nin within Fire Country borders must be dealt with, even if they aren't our own. Especially so close to Konoha; they could attack us at any time quite easily. Not that it would make sense, but it is still a security risk we have to take care of." Pausing, he glanced at Neji for a moment before continuing, "It would be best for you two to work as a team in the fight, preferably with one of the reinforcements. I don't know Neji's level for sure, but I don't think you are ready to fight a B-rank missing nin, Naruto."

At the blonde's frown, Natsu quickly added, "I know you're stronger than what everyone else thinks, but I know you better than most. And when I say you're not ready, I mean it. I don't want you to get hurt, otouto."

Neji watched the two with mild interest before speaking. "So we wait? How long do you think the reinforcements will take?"

Natsu made a few quick calculations, cocking his head. "They should be here late tomorrow, if the old man sends ANBU. Jounin, perhaps two days." Gesturing for Neji and Naruto to move closer together, he whispered, "Cover me while I send the message." Obediently, the two scooted shoulder to shoulder to obscure Natsu from sight. Natsu summoned a small orange toad. The toad frowned at him. "Who are you?"

Natsu frowned for a moment before realizing this was _Gamakichi._ Gamakichi, who'd grown nearly as tall as his father in Natsu's world. Quickly pushing the momentary burst of sorrow aside, he murmured, "I'm a new summoner. Natsu Uzari. Jiraiya let me sign the scroll. We can talk about this later; I need a message delivered to Konoha as soon as possible. Can you get it there by tonight?"

Gamakichi considered this. "Do you have any snacks?"

Natsu stifled a snort before unsealing a few things from a scroll; Pocky and a few other small candies. "Will this do?"

Gamakichi brightened considerably. "Yeah, thanks man! I'll get right to work on that. My name is Gamakichi, by the way. The message?"

Natsu scribbled a quick but detailed note to the Hokage and placed it on the table. "Here."

The orange toad scooped up the message scroll and the candy. "Thanks. I'll be going, then." Gamakichi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto's eyes held a slight interest. He knew of summoning, of course, but he'd not expected Natsu to have the toad summoning contact when he himself held the fox contract. It was unexpected.

Neji scooted back around the table, reclaiming his personal space. "What shall we do in the meantime?"

Natsu smirked. "Go back outside the village and train. The rest of today and tomorrow, we'll train. After that we'll rest up and get our chakra back. I suspect the Hokage will send two or three Jounin…ANBU are a little overkill." With that he gave an inward sigh. He wished the old man would hurry up and place him in ANBU…he'd been kicked out of Konoha before he reached that level before, and he was eager to give it a try. After all, he'd already overcome the things most rookie ANBU struggled with. He would _fit in_ there, with the people as screwed up and emotionally unbalanced as he was. Clearing his throat he shook himself free for the lingering thoughts. "You guys go ahead and return to where we camped last night. I'll pick up some food." Natsu reached into his weapons pouch and handing Naruto the scroll the camp equipment was sealed in.

The blonde took the scroll. "Stay safe, nii-san."

Natsu smiled at him, and though it contained real happiness there was the ever-present sorrow in his eyes. "Thanks." The two groups split and went about their duties.

Naruto and Neji began to set up camp in silence, both unsure what to say. They were simply comrades and knew next to nothing of the other.

As it would be, Naruto broke the silence. "You…are in the Hyuuga branch family, right?" he almost smacked himself as soon as the words left his mouth. Naruko and Natsu had warned him that the subject was touchy, and he blurted it out first thing. _Great going, moron._ He berated himself mentally.

Neji stiffened immediately. "That is correct." He said tersely. His eyes narrowed as he watched Naruto. "Why do you ask such a question?"

"I know a lot about seals." Naruto answered, semi-vaguely.

But Neji wasn't called a genius for nothing. He immediately faced Naruto, eyes sparking with something unreadable. "Is that so." He moved slowly towards the blonde, but there was a fairly threatening air around him. "Well perhaps you should keep your knowledge to yourself, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto simply shrugged, feeling a little helpless. He'd only been trying to make conversation. "As you wish. It is not something I would speak about with anyone other than yourself, anyways."

Neji turned away without another word and didn't even so much as look at Naruto before Natsu returned. Bearing delicious-smelling food, the redhead instantly noticed something amiss. *Naruto?* he questioned directly through the seal, excluding Neji from the conversation.

*I put my foot in my mouth. Brought up the caged bird seal. Can you remove those, by the way?* Naruto responded.

Natsu considered this. *I'll do some research. I haven't done it before, but I _should_ be able to grasp the mechanics of it all. We'll see. In the meantime, we need to discuss the details of me giving you my chakra…..*

Sasuke paused in his knocking on Naruto's front door when a blonde head poked out next door. Naruko gave him a cheeky grin. "Uchiha Sasuke. I assume you're looking for Naruto?"

Mutely, the raven nodded. Naruko shrugged at his lack of spoken response. "Well, he's off on a mission; left yesterday afternoon. Anything I could help you with?"

Sasuke paused to consider it. "Just….pass along a message. When he returns, I'd like to speak to him."

"Will do. Better get to training, Uchiha-san. I'm sure Naruto isn't slacking in his training, even if he's on a mission." Naruko grinned cheekily before shutting the door.

Sasuke grunted in annoyance before turning to leave. So the dobe was off on a mission, hn? He wasn't disappointed. He _wasn't_. Despite Naruko's teasing, he'd already been training since early this morning. It wasn't quite lunch time and he found himself at a loss as to what he should be doing.

Though it was a little embarrassing to admit, Naruto was really the only person he would consider himself to be friendly with. Without him there, Konoha suddenly seemed so boring….

Ino put her hands on her knees, attempting to catch her breath as sweat dripped down her cheeks. _Sadistic…Tou-san..._she cursed her father inwardly in between breaths. Yes, Yamanaka Ino the most girly kunoichi was training to exhaustion with her family's jutsu. Her hair looked horrible; her clothes were dirty (even torn in places) and _kami_ she reeked of the outdoors and sweat.

Had the world come to an end? Luckily, that was not the case. By now we all know that Naruto can change_ anyone's_ worldview. Yamanaka Ino was just one of the many Naruto's influence had touched. His inspiration had clearly affected her greatly; though she was not buff, the baby fat from Ino's face was gone. Her arms had a wiry strength and her body, though beautiful, was that of a professional kunoichi.

Despite all these changes, she was still one of the more attractive young kunoichi, something that she still took great pride in. Perhaps it was vanity, but Ino didn't mind. She enjoyed looking nice. And although she'd learned her lesson in taking that too far, she still liked being pretty.

She now knew that strength was more important than beauty in the field she chose. However, for a kunoichi, beauty was still important. Men would always underestimate a kunoichi; their guard would be lowered even more if she was beautiful. Sexist? Maybe. True? Definitely. It was something that frustrated Ino, but it also made her job easier so it was something she would never complain about.

She still had hope that someone she considered attractive would fall in love with her. Though she'd given up on her teammate Uchiha Sasuke, she hadn't given up on finding her soul mate. She wasn't actively seeking out love, preferring to focus on her profession for the time being, but it was still a future goal of hers.

Right now, she was completely focused on the Chuunin Exams. Her opponent was as of yet still undecided, which made it difficult to prepare. It made sense to her, she wasn't denying that. On missions, you never know who you're going to face. It had practical application, yeah.

That didn't make it any less annoying.

Done with her breather, Ino brushed dirt from her pants and began to work again. Concentrating, she focused her chakra. "_Shinten Bunshin no Jutsu (__Mind Clone Switch)!"_

-TIMESKIP-

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, scanning the message from Natsu. _Things always complicate themselves, don't they_…he mused inwardly. "Bear." He said shortly. The ANBU instantly showed themselves. "Hokage-sama?" Sarutobi pursed his lips. "I need you to summon Genma, Raidou, and Hayate. I have a mission for them…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Shorter chapter, I know. But it's a good stopping point. Anything you'd like to see soon? I'm having trouble keeping up the length while staying with my timeline. Any small things you want or suggestions of scenes you'd like to see would be helpful. **


	26. Chapter 25: Mission Arc, Pt 2

{{Misty windows hide your empty eyes  
>Every moment, every whisper<br>Separates you from me  
>I've been screaming; won't you let me in?<br>Let me see a trace of the places  
>Hidden under your skin<p>

Needles stick me when you look away  
>And your silence sounds like<br>Deafening screams to me  
>I've been waiting, won't you open your heart?<br>And let me in; please let me in

~Frozen by Delain }}

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><p><strong>AN: New chapter's up. Hope you enjoy it. (: Just as a confirmation….no, Hayate didn't die. Because Naruto helped Gaara **_**before**_** Gaara could kill Hayate. xD**

**Please send me review if you find any mistakes! Also, if I left any plot holes please let me know of that as well. I think the only thing I can think of from past chapters that I still haven't written about is Kurenai's kekkei genkai. As that's not relevant to the plot yet…I'm saving it for later. :D Soooo…if I'm missing anything else, please let me know. Enjoy.  
><strong>

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think. This chapter took a long time to write...I think you'll see why.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25: Mission Arc: Part 2 (Underneath the Underneath) <strong>

The last few days had been very long and tiring. Though the basic information had already been gathered, there were still specifics that had to be found out, such as who the band of missing nins were going to attack.

Naruto knew he was not particularly suited to information gathering. He would rather not sneak around in the shadows, though he could do it passably well. He figured this was why Neji and Natsu had taken on the brunt of the information gathering, while he remained as backup. He was also in charge of making sure their supplies were sufficient.

This morning, however, the routine they'd been following for the last few days was disrupted.

Backup had finally arrived.

Neji and Naruto watched in silence as three Jounin-level shinobi approached Natsu. They appeared tired, but still awake. They'd probably only slept once in the past few days.

Natsu smiled a greeting. "Hayate, Genma." He welcomed. "And you must be Namiashi Raidō. These two are Genin- Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji."

Hayate and Genma both smiled in return and Raidō inclined his head slightly. "Well met, Uzari Natsu. Here are your orders from Hokage-sama." Raidō passed the redheaded Jounin a small scroll.

Natsu quickly scanned its contents. "Excellent." He muttered to himself. Turning to Raidō, he questioned, "Orders, Captain?"

The subtle tension that had been in the room bled away as the contents of the Hokage's scroll was revealed; a short note that Natsu should defer command of the mission to Raidō.

Hayate discretely shot Natsu a grateful look. Natsu pretended not to see it as he waited for Raidō's response.

Raidō looked covertly to Neji and Naruto, to affirm that they had noticed the command change. Both Genin's appeared to be awaiting his orders. With a small but pleased smile, he spoke up. "Hokage-sama has shared the contents of your message with us. Is there any other information you have discovered since that message was sent?"

Natsu flicked his eyes to Neji, giving him the go-ahead. The young Hyuuga cleared his throat before beginning. "'Sir. As you already know, the leader is Kenji Roka. He is an A-rank missing nin from Kusagakure. In addition to him, there are three other B-rank missing nin: two from Iwa, and one from Kumo." He paused to collect his thoughts. "They are stealing supplies from shipments heading to the Tea Country. Though bits of information pieced together, we have concluded that they intend to make an attempt to overthrow the Mizukage."

There was a long pause as the three Jounins processed that bit of news. _Again? _Sometimes it seemed like Kirigakure would never be free of internal strife.

Natsu quickly added, "Another message has already been sent to Hokage-sama; he was informed of this."

Startled out of his thoughts, a short bark of un-amused laughter escaped Raidō's lips. "Lovely." Shaking his head to push away his short bout of internal hysterics, he added, "We will wait for the Hokage's orders before starting anything. He will probably inform Kirigakure of the possibility of an attack, which will mean giving them time send back a response. We left Konoha two days ago. How long ago did you send the message?"

"A little over a day ago. I would estimate that Kiri is preparing a reply now, if they've not sent it already." Natsu's face was serious, making him appear older than his twenty-two years.

Genma frowned. "Then we're a little early, I suppose. Should've taken an easier trip." He sent a small glare Raidō's way, which was completely ignored.

Hayate chuckled. "So, Captain? What's the plan?"

Raidō frowned at the both of them for their lack of decorum. "Well, I need to familiarize myself with our three new team members. I would suggest you two idiots do the same."

Genma gasped in mock affront. Hayate only grinned at the brown-haired Jounin captain.

Natsu and Naruto shared a glance, rolling their eyes at the other. All long-time Jounins, like ANBU, had their coping mechanisms….some were just more annoying than others.

Neji, on the other hand, looked like their behavior made him want to strangle someone. "If there is nothing else on this matter to discuss, then I suggest we move on."

Hayate smiled serenely. "The Genin is more mature than you, Genma. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from the younger generation."

Genma stared at Hayate with his mouth hanging open. Clearly such a joke coming from Hayate was rare.

Raidō pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward of a headache. "_Shut up_, you two." He hissed. Turning to the two Genin and Natsu, he quickly told them, "For now, just do whatever you want. Training, exploring, whatever. In the morning I'll need an assessment of your skills, so maybe think about all that you need to tell me. Don't leave anything out, no matter how useless or small it may seem." He then resumed yelling at Genma. (Hayate whistled innocently and snuck away.)

Neji gave a soft snort of annoyance before muttering, "I'm going to train." He left in silence, gesturing to Natsu that he wouldn't go far. Naruto repressed a laugh. This mission would be…interesting.

Natsu gestured in the opposite direction Neji had gone. "Shall we train? We can review what you learned last time."

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Sure thing, aniki." He trotted after the redhead, excited to review what he'd learned in the previous session.

Natsu finally stopped when they were a short distance away. "Okay, so Gen'ei Dou (llusory Muddle) first." He made a quick (and nearly chakra-less so that it wouldn't detect or cancel the Genjutsu) Kage Bunshin and gestured for Naruto to begin.

Concentrating, Naruto formed the hand seals and cast the Genjutsu, mouthing the technique's name. He led the Kage Bunshin around for a few minutes before dispelling the technique. "That performed well enough to suit you?" He teased Natsu.

The redhead gave him a faint smile. "Sure. Just keep practicing so you'll be able to use it on people stronger than you. You seemed to have gotten down the small earth jutsu I taught you, so we won't even go over that. How about Katon: Kasumi Enbu no Jutsu?" (Fire Release: Mist Blaze Dance) "Feeling confident with that?"

Naruto shrugged. "I can do it. I'll keep practicing, but I think I'm ready to move on now."

Natsu smirked and rubbed his hands together in a somewhat frightening manner. "_Excellent_. Then I can do what I've been wanting to for a while. You said your dojutsu makes you immune to poisons after affected once, correct?"

Naruto frowned, not liking where this was going. "Well….yes. What do you have in mind?"

Natsu outright grinned this time. "We have some time. I was with Sasori of the Red Sand for years."

Naruto frowned. "With _who?"_

Natsu almost slapped himself for forgetting that Naruto was not really _him._ "Oh, that's right. Well, Sasori is a member of Akatsuki. He's very proficient in poisons and puppets. So since we have a little time on our hands, let me teach you about poisons. And expose you to a few."

Naruto took a wary step backwards. "Wait, _expose _me?"

Natsu snickered. "Well, we've got time. If I just give you the poisons, and the antidotes right afterwards…well, it might make you a little sick but it won't cause much pain. And then when you actually DO get hit by the poison, you have nothing to worry about. Plus this way you can use the poisons for your own combat without having to worry about inhaling them or absorbing them."

Naruto gulped. He wished he could run away about right now. Natsu was…kinda scary sometimes. "All right, fine. If you're sure this will help me…"

In the next few hours, Naruto found himself somehow taking in various poisons, followed by disgusting (usually, anyways) antidotes. Though Natsu was indeed a good teacher, that didn't necessarily mean that he was a _nice_ teacher.

In closing, Natsu had chunked a book at the still slightly nauseous Naruto and ordered that the blonde keep studying in the future. By no means did Natsu consider him a poisons expert, and the Jounin let Naruto know that many times.

Finally taking pity on his pseudo-student, Natsu gave the groggy Genin a piggyback on the return trip to their camp.

Raidō gave them a quizzical look as they returned. "Something up?"

Natsu grinned back cheekily. "Nope, just some practice with poisons. Nothing to see here." He moved past the gaping Tokubetsu Jounin and deposited Naruto onto a bed roll. "Get some sleep, kid. We'll take it from here."

Naruto complied immediately, exhausted from the foreign substances racing through his veins.

As Natsu moved away from the already sleeping Naruto, Raidō shook his head. "Sadist." He muttered, loudly enough for the redhead to hear.

The grin instantly dropped from the young Jounin's face as he turned towards Raidō. The Tokubetsu Jounin was surprised at the grim look of acceptance on such a young face. Even more startling was his _eyes_. Deep pools of violet holding back barely-concealed grief and pain. Eyes that belonged to a man much older than Natsu.

"I will do whatever it takes to protect them. _Whatever it takes._" The redhead's voice was firm and quiet, but it rang with a deep-rooted finality that unsettled Raidō.

To move his focus away from the slight fear he suddenly felt at the redhead's tone, Raidō found himself replying reasonably. "They seem to be pretty capable Genin. Why do you need to protect them?" Unknown to the older man, Natsu was not talking about Neji and Naruto at all.

_Because it proves that I'm not a monster, that I'm not a demon, that I'm not alone…even if no one notices._ Jinchuuriki. Cursed, hated, and feared. Trapped. He would never be able to escape from the shadow of the Kyuubi for as long as he lived. Its darkness, its rage, its bloodlust would always be there in the back of his mind, ready to destroy him completely if he slipped up even once. Grief for the people he'd once loved that had understood and were now gone forever filled his entire being, and he nearly choked on the acrid taste of it. Shoving in back as deep inside as he could, Natsu held back a keen of pain. He could _never_ slip up, or release the rigid self-control. Not 'just once,' not even for a second. Because to release his control…would release the horrific beast within him, that _was _him. He finally answered Raidō, almost mechanically. "Because they hold the future of Konoha in their hands, and every Genin that does not survive is an asset of Konoha's lost."

Straight, exact ANBU answer. Word perfect, in fact. Unknown to Raidō, Natsu had merely quoted Itachi's words. How was he to know that Itachi, in turn, was quoting ANBU teachings?

But Raidō could swear he'd never seen the redheaded Jounin before, ANBU or otherwise…strange. Natsu Uzari was indeed strange. He didn't even seem to realize what he'd said had given anything away. With a baffled shrug Raidō turned and withdrew a safe distance to study the redhead inconspicuously.

Raidō watched Natsu out of the corner of his eye as he stared into the forest surrounding them. _Level voice; ready stance. Patient…you'd never know that he's had a day that would work most Jounin into the ground. He doesn't hoard his strength—no, he spends it cleanly. Sensibly. Enough to see the job done, and move on. _

The thought roared through Raidō's mind like a scorching wildfire. He knew the implications of such a thing. A solo nin as strong as the redhead appeared? Ludicrous. A village would recruit him right away. Tattoos, but no ANBU tattoo or henges. Strong and graceful, but not the silent grace of a Hunter Nin. Recently made Jounin, but so far above Jounin level that it was almost humorous. Finally, the only one who seemed to know of Natsu before he'd appeared in the Jounin headquarters was the Hokage himself.

Something here was very suspicious.

Raidō knew that the Sandaime Hokage was not a secretive man, unless the times called for covert operations. If he had seen the need to keep such an asset to Konoha hidden away, then something was seriously, seriously wrong. The thought sobered the Tokubetsu Jounin.

_What in the seven hells is going on? _

* * *

><p>Nijo Naruko was bored. There was only so much training one girl could do, and Naruto and Natsu were both off on a mission. She was new to this Konoha; though she had known many of the shinobi in her time, things were bound to be different. She didn't want to make a fool of herself by saying something she shouldn't know, or saying something about someone that wasn't true here.<p>

In short, she was pretty much stuck with no missions until Natsu and Naruto returned. And it sucked. Narue wasn't a ninja, so she didn't really understand Naruko's restlessness.

But she wanted to _move._ She'd been an ANBU; not taking high risk missions was killing her.

An adrenaline junkie? Maybe she was. But everyone in ANBU had their coping mechanisms. If hers was to throw herself wholeheartedly into nigh-suicidal missions, who were others to judge?

With a snort at her strange thoughts, Naruko stood from the couch she had been shifting twitchily on and moved towards the door. Narue gave a small smile and spoke softly, "I'll make dinner." Naruko felt a rush of gratitude, but she wasn't the sappy type. So she simply nodded, and left the house.

The cold wind snapped her away from the daze she'd been in all day; it was just what she needed. Rubbing her arms as goosebumps formed, she hurried away from the apartment, deciding she would finally pay Anko a visit.

It didn't take long to find the purple-haired kunoichi; after all, she was almost always in the same place: the dango shop.

Entering the shop, Naruko ordered a few sticks of dango and sat at a table close to Anko's. As she waited for her food, she watched the older kunoichi devour the sweet like Naruto devoured ramen. With the barest hint of a smile, she sashayed over to where Anko was sitting.

"Mitarashi Anko?" Naruko questioned, somewhat rhetorically.

Anko looked up, pausing in her scarfing. "You need something, brat?" she replied gruffly.

"Mind if I take a seat? I have some business to discuss with you." Naruko spoke with a slight drawl and gave her former mentor a smirk.

Anko rolled her eyes. "Anything for you, sweetheart." The sarcasm was blatantly obvious as the snake mistress leaned back in her chair, scornful look taking over her features.

Naruko chuckled and took a seat. "I just returned from a long mission and decided to finally seek you out. Since my Academy days, people have been saying I need to meet you. Apparently we have similar styles of fighting."

Anko's face changed slightly. Instead of a sneer, her face now held skepticism. "Somehow I don't really believe you, brat." _After all, I'm very sure she didn't learn under Orochimaru…so what could we honestly have in common? _

Naruko snickered. "Lighten up, Anko-san. I'm told it's more the geisha aspect than the…err, _snake_ jutsu."

Anko's face actually brightened somewhat. "You took geisha classes? I thought I was the only one!"

Naruko made a face. "And suffer through those horrible _tea ceremony_ classes? Hell, no! Geisha was the only option that wasn't useless. And even then I thought it would be stupid…luckily I was wrong. Best choice I ever made."

Anko snorted. "Okay, I'll admit you aren't the typical kunoichi wanna-be. But you're nowhere near _my_ level, brat."

Naruko snorted back. "Did I ever make a claim about being the best kunoichi in Konoha or something? Because lately everyone seems to think so. I don't remember saying any such thing. I'm not here for a fight, Anko-san. Just some company. My team's off on a mission and I'm _bored._"

Anko paused, and began eating her dango again. "Fair enough." She said through a mouthful of the sweet treat. "What aspect of the geisha training did you enjoy most?" Though she would never admit it, even under pain of death, Anko was actually happy to talk about something she enjoyed with someone who _got it._

Naruko beamed. "Tessenjutsu!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. (Tessenjutsu = the art of the Japanese war fan)

Anko blinked, a little surprised. "Well, that's something I never tried. I was more interested in the 'seduce and go for the kill' aspect, I suppose."

Naruko smirked. "I know. I've heard a lot about you, remember?"

Anko returned the smirk. "Well, looks like I'm famous then. I always knew this day would come." She finished off her stick of dango and grabbed for another, only to find she was out. Immediately, she turned puppy dog eyes on Naruko.

The blonde kunoichi shook her head. "Uh, no. No way. Get your own dango, lady."

Anko made a pouty face. "Pretty please?"

"Because being pretty makes _everything_ better." Naruko sighed in exasperation before handing Anko a stick of dango.

The purple-haired snake mistress took the skewer and tucked right in. "You're the best!" Anko crowed.

"I know." Naruko replied smugly, munching her own dango.

And just like that, a beautiful friendship was formed.

* * *

><p>By this time everyone except Natsu was sleeping. The redhead was currently on watch; even though both he and Naruto could make countless Kage Bunshin, Raidō had yet to be told of their skill set. So watch it was.<p>

With a silent sigh, Natsu turned his eyes to Naruto. It would probably be a good idea to leak a little more chakra while the blonde was sleeping. Getting to his feet, muscles stiff from sitting for a long period of time, Natsu put a light hand on Naruto's shoulder. Slowly but surely he began to release his own potent chakra to the Kyuubi.

Even though he'd consciously made the decision to do such a thing, that didn't mean it wasn't painful. Using _that_ chakra in any quantity made his coils ache with remembered pain. Not to mention that having his chakra siphoned away brought unpleasant flashbacks of _him._

The night suddenly seemed much colder as Natsu sat in silence, chakra slowly filtering away to Naruto. Face blank and body stiff, he continued his work. Hours passed; Natsu didn't wake any of his comrades because he had a job to do, and they could use the extra sleep anyways. Raidō would be miffed, but he didn't know Natsu well enough to punish him too much for such a small thing.

Finally, when the sun began to rise, the trace amounts he'd been letting slip by seemed to be enough to satisfy the Nine-Tailed Fox. Pulling his hand back, Natsu ran a hand through sweat-soaked hair. Though that chakra was but a portion of what he possessed, it was tiring to release the tainted chakra at a constant rate.

He told himself that was the reason, but inside he knew it was a lie. The reason for the sweat and the trembling that he couldn't seem to stop was clear internally, he just didn't want to admit it to himself.

And so he didn't. Denial could be a useful tool sometimes, especially for a traumatized shinobi.

Goosebumps prickled his skin, a combination of the nippy morning air and cold sweat. With a shiver, Natsu moved to wake Raidō. A soft word was all it took; the redheaded Jounin made sure not to touch or move too close to the Tokubetsu Jounin. Instinct would cause the veteran shinobi to react…violently.

Raidō woke with little fuss. With a confused glance at the sun, he sat up. After his mind caught up, he sent Natsu a disapproving glance. "You should've woken us." He scolded.

Natsu gave him a shadow of a smile. "I couldn't have slept anyways. And you three could use the sleep." Without any further explanation the Jounin turned to wake Neji and Naruto.

Raidō's frown only deepened at the explanation, but there was nothing to be done. In resignation, he turned to wake Genma and Hayate.

After everyone was awake, Natsu prepared a quick breakfast from their rations. As they ate, Raidō began to speak. "I think it's time to go over our available skill set now. Genma…you start."

Frowning, the brown-haired Tokubetsu Jounin did as he was told. "I use senbon very well. My Taijutsu is good, even for someone of my rank. I have some aptitude with Space-Time Ninjutsu. My basics are all very good. Basically, I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. Hayate?"

Hayate sighed and then coughed a little. "I'm a kenjutsu user. I'm also very proficient in Ninjutsu…I mainly use Kage Bunshin and Mikazuki no Mai (Dance of the Crescent Moon). My main asset is my speed…" He paused to cough, "which helps my Taijutsu immensely. I use Futon techniques."

Raidō looked to the others. Neji took the initiative and began. "I am a Hyuuga skilled in the use of Jūken (Gentle Fist)." With a pointed glance at Naruto, he continued, "Though I am a member of the Branch Family, I am considered a prodigy for being able to utilize certain moves at such a young age."

Naruto sighed. "I use Kage Bunshin, Summoning Jutsu, various weak Elemental jutsu, a few strong Katon jutsu…some somewhat strong Genjutsu…I think my Taijutsu is pretty exceptional for a Genin…hmm…I know a few concealment jutsu. Ah! I know Rasengan…Kaze no Yaiba…Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…I have a Kekkei Genkai that will be of little use to you….and of course…" he spared a glance at Neji. "_That_ chakra." Clearing his throat, he finished, "All in all, a random jumble of semi-weak jutsu with a few stronger tossed in that may or may not be useful to your plans."

Hayate, Genma, and Raidō stared at the Genin for a moment before laughing. "What a weird kid," Naruto's sharp ears picked up Genma's mutter.

Natsu glanced at the sky and began speaking. "I am extremely proficient in Katon jutsu, to the point that instead of using fire as an elemental jutsu, my chakra often manifests as pure fire chakra. I have a secondary element of water that I also use well. My bloodline limit gives me an abnormally high rate of healing. I use Fūinjutsu in a way that I've been told is quite…unique. My Taijutsu skills are reportedly extremely high. My Genjutsu capabilities are also high." Natsu stated his tirade like one would a boring report.

Raidō shook his head. "Well, it seems we won't have trouble with this, then. Considering that there are six of us and four main enemies, I think it would be best to split up and face enemies." His cobalt eyes flicked to Natsu, but the red-haired Jounin was avoiding the gaze. Frowning, he continued, "I'm assuming there will be average ninja other than the four we're facing. I think it would be best if the two Genin dealt with them. That leaves us four to face off the four missing nin."

The plan was sound. Neji and Naruto shouldn't have trouble if they watched each other's backs. The two Genin exchanged glances and a nod.

Raidō continued, "The problem is the A-rank nin from Kusagakure. I think it would be best if I took him on. Any objections?"

No one said a word. If Raidō thought he could handle it, they wouldn't interfere. Smiling, the Jounin commander continued, "Okay then. Hayate, I think you should take the nin from Kumo. With your Futon jutsu, you should be able to subdue their Raiton relatively easy. Natsu and Genma, I'll leave you to sort out the other two between yourselves. And Genma, if Kenji becomes too much for me to handle, leave the two Iwa Nin to Natsu. Sound like a plan?"

All his squad mates nodded solemnly. Raidō snorted. "Of course, if Mist decides they want in, talking tactics is useless. But we'll plan for the worst."

Genma snorted. "Good idea, Boss. What about in the meantime?"

Raidō shrugged. "It shouldn't be too long before we get the message from Kiri. Until then, no training. I know you're all bored, but we need to conserve our energy and chakra in case we don't receive any back up."

Naruto sighed. It was a good thing he'd trained yesterday, then. It would be boring just sitting around waiting for Kiri to reply.

Genma seemed to share his thoughts. "But Captain, what are we supposed to _do_ then?"

Raidō scoffed. "You can surely entertain yourself for one day. Read a book on jutsu theory or something. You could use the help!"

The two began bickering, and Naruto tuned them out. Hayate watched in amusement, while Neji just looked coldly dispassionate.

Turning to speak to Natsu, Naruto abruptly realized the redhead was already halfway across the campsite. A single glance at his body language caused Naruto to worry. Gesturing covertly to Neji to keep the other three away, he followed the redhead.

Natsu was walking quickly, but almost shakily. It didn't take Naruto long to catch him and put a hand on the Jounin's shoulder.

The response was immediate. Face pale, Naruto lifted his hands to show he meant no harm as Natsu's kunai was held at his throat.

Natsu pressed his lips together tightly and withdrew the kunai, too wound up to even offer an apology. He turned jerkily on his heel and continued walking away from his other team members.

Naruto stayed where he was in shock for a few moments before jolting after Natsu. When he reached the Jounin, Natsu was sitting down, back against a tree. His arms were wrapped tightly around his knees, and his face was buried into his legs. Naruto noted that the redhead's hands were shaking slightly. Unsure what exactly was going on, he didn't want to do anything to upset Natsu. Hesitantly he sat beside Natsu and said nothing.

It was probably about twenty minutes before the Jounin stirred. He lifted his face but turned his back to Naruto as if ashamed. A strained silence still prevailed over the two.

Worried, Naruto stood and walked to Natsu's front, kneeling down. The older man's eyes were squeezed shut tightly, and his whole body shook minutely. His face was paler than normal.

Naruto immediately understood that this was somehow his fault. Trauma victims forced to recount their ordeals almost always suffered from nightmares or flashbacks. Avoidance of distressing events was a defense mechanism that almost all humans possessed, and he had overstepped his boundaries into Natsu's privacy.

While the blonde Genin was no doctor, he had read a lot of medical texts. One he had found particularly interesting was on mental and anxiety disorders. Ninjas suffered from a lot of such disorders; the rigors of their jobs and psychological scarring from stressful situations ensured they did. Naruto was no expert on the subject, but he knew enough to guess that Natsu was suffering from some degree of post-traumatic stress disorder. It all made sense; he suffered an intense trauma, had many nightmares and flashbacks, avoided the subject (and therefore Sasuke) whenever possible, had insomnia….not to mention the increased startle response that appeared whenever Natsu thought of the event, as evidenced by him nearly cutting Naruto's throat. It had to be a severe case; it had not been months, but years since Natsu had been held captive. The only thing missing was that Natsu showed no signs of estranging himself from others; he functioned the same as any shinobi, and seemingly had no fear of others. Even to Sasuke's face he only showed mild signs of discomfort.

He thought back to when Sasuke and Natsu had first spoken…instead of fear or anger, the only emotion Natsu had shown was surprise and slight unease. They'd even had a somewhat casual conversation. He admittedly hadn't been paying much attention at the time, as he'd been suffering from chakra exhaustion. But he still didn't remember a single sign of terror. The unease could be a slight signal, but it could also be attributed to your whole _world_ being destroyed in a single moment. Naruto sighed to himself.

That Natsu barely reacted around Sasuke was worrying. Most trauma victims had some sort of "fight or flight" response, but Natsu appeared perfectly controlled in all moments around his co-workers and superiors….hell, even his friends or family. The only reason Naruto was seeing this _now_ was because he had forced the issue in the first place.

Even worse was the sense that Naruto sometimes got around Natsu. It was almost like Natsu didn't consider himself important anymore. He wasn't suicidal or anything that extreme, but it was almost as if he thought that his life was less valuable than the lives of others somehow.

The thought caused a pang in his heart. Naruto leaned his forehead onto Natsu's, attempting to comfort the man he considered a brother. Natsu's skin was cold, colder than it should be. Come to think of it, although Natsu had brought him and Neji food, he hadn't actually eaten any in their view since the mission began. Finally breaking the silence, Naruto murmured softly, "When was the last time you ate something?" While waiting for a response he reached for Natsu's wrist, taking his pulse. It was quicker than normal. Most likely anemia, then.

The Jounin shuddered a little in Naruto's grip. "Other than soldier pills? A while." His voice was faint and hoarse. "I know it was stupid, but…" _I couldn't stomach it._ The words were left unsaid.

Naruto mentally added _no appetite_ to his list of symptoms. Natsu really should see Tsunade when they returned; this wasn't healthy at all. "Stay here. I'll bring you something." Releasing Natsu's wrist, he stood and made his way back to the campsite.

Genma, Raidō, and Hayate were casually playing cards. Normally the older men engaging in such a mundane activity would make Naruto smile, but he was too upset right now to laugh. Catching Neji's eye he sent him a silent message to stay away before digging through Natsu's supplies. The uneaten food was carefully sealed away. Pocketing the scroll along with a bottle of water, Naruto stood and returned to his aniki.

"Eat." He ordered, handing the scroll to the Jounin.

Natsu had stopped shaking, but he was still incredibly pale and cold to the touch. He cautiously took the scroll from Naruto and unsealed a meal. With a deep breath, he began to eat slowly, still avoiding Naruto's eyes. His reluctance to eat betrayed him; Naruto knew that something was still wrong.

There were longer minutes of silence before Naruto couldn't take it anymore. "Why didn't you say anything?" he burst out, eyes sad.

"Tell you of what? My shame?" Natsu stopped eating and finally met Naruto's eyes.

The Genin's breath caught in his throat. How had he missed something like this? Now that he knew, looking into the Jounin's eyes he could see everything. Biting pain, gripping fear, so much guilt and humiliation…it was all there. "Aniki…." Naruto didn't know what else to say.

Natsu's lips tried to form a smile, but he just couldn't pull it off. "If you want a brother, look for someone with honor. I lost mine, because I was a coward… I lost everything. I won't let you lose what you love. I can do that much. I will. If I can prevent that…than anything is worth it. I'm already a shell of myself. Nothing could make me any lower."

Again, those words that made Naruto fear for his brother. "Don't say that, aniki! You're…you're scaring me."

Natsu didn't reply and returned to eating meticulously. After finishing his food, he finally said, "Don't worry, Naruto. I'm not planning to off myself anytime soon. I've been through too much to give up now. Please, don't look at me like that. I'm fine."

Naruto didn't know whether to laugh or cry. _Fine?_ Yeah right…Fine, like a warrior with his death-wound, holding his peace so that his comrades would not break and die. He wanted to shake Natsu violently, but he knew that now was not the time. Natsu had suffered enough for today; he didn't need Naruto yelling at him.

"All right." He said softly, but his eyes held a different message. His eyes warned the redhead that _this wasn't over._ Blowing a sigh through his lips, Naruto handed Natsu the water bottle and urged him to drink.

Natsu took it, face carefully blank. His eyes stared into the distance, lost in his own thoughts. He took several small sips before placing the bottle back on the ground. He seemed to come back to himself all of a sudden. "Naruto." His voice was sharper than normal, and the younger blonde's attention immediately snapped his way. "I need you to listen to me, and listen well. I do not need your pity, and I do not need you to look after me. I know that you are trying to help, but frankly, this is beyond you. It's beyond anyone; otherwise I would've taken care of it already." With a pained snort, he added, "I've lived with it this long; I can live with it longer. If you want to help, just leave it be and do not speak of it again. That is for the best." Rising to his feet, all trace of emotion and sickness wiped away, he strode purposefully towards their camp.

Naruto found himself left to his thoughts. _Nii-san…you liar. _Shaking his head, the blonde waited a few minutes before following, reluctantly deciding to give Natsu his space for now.

Neji tried to catch his gaze as he walked into the camp, but Naruto avoided the Hyuuga's eyes. It wasn't something that he was comfortable sharing…it was Natsu's business, and the Jounin would be furious if he ever discovered that Naruto had shared it with someone else.

As usual, Naruto found his thoughts shifting from Natsu and his trauma to Sasuke. _His_ Sasuke. It was difficult to connect the two Uchiha, even though he knew better than most the possibilities of such a thing. The sheer cruelty that he'd barely even begun to unearth from Natsu's Sasuke almost _hurt _and he hadn't even experienced it firsthand. Such deep-seeded betrayal made Naruto flinch inwardly. He had always known that, as a ninja, betrayal and death were part of the profession.

Still, it was a shock to see what could be left behind when the world shifted out from under you. Being a shinobi suddenly seemed so…dirty_._ Blood, pain, backstabbing…was that really their future? The future of the entire shinobi nations?

The thought was frightening, but Naruto had no clue what he could do to fix a system that had been broken for so long. Although he'd known in unconsciously, he'd never acknowledged how shattered the world had become.

It had just seemed normal; he had been born into the fragmented world, and that was how things were. But he had begun to see that there was so much more to this; so much more to everything.

_Look underneath the underneath. _The phrase had never been truer. Moving to his sleeping roll, Naruto spent the rest of the evening…well...not _brooding_, but thinking deeply.

What did this mean for him? If being a ninja was truly the way that Natsu wordlessly implied, where did he fit?

These thoughts and more wouldn't leave him. Hours later, he fell into a restless sleep. Perhaps the morning would bring answers…and perhaps he would never know.


	27. Chapter 26: Mission Arc, Final

{{ Envy, you're filled with the desire to kill behind an anonymous mass  
>Even after seeing it you're filled with hunger<br>Are you happy now? Why won't we look each other in the eye anymore?  
>Why won't we communicate? Why won't we love?<br>We shed tears at the painful reality once again  
>Please say that we could change things if we wanted.<p>

There's no life, emotion, or warmth but just garbage language

A desolately rolling meadow  
>Loneliness adds as the days go by<br>We have to be humans because we get scars, yeah?

~Mama by Exo-M/Exo-K }}

**A/N: **

**Yes, at long last! A new chapter. **** Hopefully the next one will be out more quickly. **

**I struggle to write fight scenes, if you can't tell. xD if anyone has any advice I would be most grateful, as this took me quite a while to squeeze out from my brain. The next fights will only be harder, I suspect.**

**Thanks for reading, once again. :) Gonna take this time to reply to an anonymous review. Other than that, enjoy. Please read and review! Now for the anonymous reviews…**

**Guest: You didn't leave a signed review, so I'll answer you here. Yes, Naruto **_**will**_** help Natsu, in time. Naruto's special like that, neh? Naruto has a positive effect on anyone he meets, after all. Natsu is no exception. **

**Kit: Thanks so much for the compliment! X) it's fun for me to write, too. As far as the direction with Naruto only trusting Kyuubi…things got out of hand rather quickly for our favorite fluffy demon fox. I think of it this way: Kyuubi is a **_**demon**_**. He is somewhat arrogant and tends to think he has all the time in the world. He (and his plans) would have been fine if not for Natsu and Naruko's interference. As Naruko and Natsu were unforeseeable consequences of Naruto using his bloodline too much, he simply has to make a new plan now. Part of the plan is stealing Natsu's chakra. That's all I can say for now about **_**that**_**, though. :P **

**Also, I'm sorry if any of you are disappointed that I'm skipping Genma, Raid****ō, and Hayate's fights. However, I'm lazy. Not enough information is given about their fighting styles for me to actually write a good fight, so I'm just leaving that out. You can just assume they won with little to no injury.**

**On Naruto and Neji fighting Chuunin's, I think of it this way: Naruto beat Mizuki in canon with little to no trouble. Neji is a Hyuuga prodigy who was supposed to be better than Naruto skill-wise. With surprise on their side (and a Jounin to watch their backs) it makes sense to me that they would be able to do this easily. In addition to this, other than a few exceptions (such as Hana Inuzuka) most Chuunin are shown as…well, pretty much cannon fodder. They're just there to get killed. Like Gozu and what's-his-face, the Demon Brothers on the Wave mission. They were Chuunin as well. You may have a different opinion on Chuunin, but let's face it…Naruto and Neji ARE good ninja. **

**Finally, if you are wondering why I changed the Final exam…there were always some things that bugged me about the Final. First of all, the "knowing the match-ups before the fight" thing. On a mission, you would not typically know the exact skill set of your opponent. It seems odd to me that they would do the Chuunin Exams this way, so I changed it to where their opponent would be decided the day of the fights. As far as the team fights go…well, it seemed appropriate to me. The most important part of being a Chuunin is becoming a squad leader. While your team had to pass the first two phases of the exam with you, teamwork was not really required at any point. One team member had to drag the others along, but there was really no fighting**_** together**_** shown. I think that this sort of final exam makes more sense, and it really shows who has the mental maturity to be a Chuunin. Chuunin is not all about combat skills, as proved by Shikamaru becoming the only Chuunin that year in canon. **

**My rant is finished. Please enjoy. xD If you are curious about anything I said (or disagree) just leave me a review and I'll get back to you. **

**Chapter 26: Mission Arc, Final**

Naruto awoke to hushed muttering. Rolling over, he blinked blearily and hauled himself to his feet. Stepping outside the tent and running a hand through his bedhead, Naruto tried to figure out what was going on.

Raidō looked up at his approach. "Yo, Naruto. Would you wake up Natsu? Kiri's message arrived."

Naruto nodded and turned to comply, listening to the conversation and he went.

Genma snorted. "_'Arrived,' _he says. More like tried to kill me!" he gesticulated wildly towards his bleeding forehead before turning to glare at the messenger hawk perched on Hayate's arm. Neji ignored them all and stayed silent.

Naruto chuckled to himself. This team was strange…though it wasn't as if he really had any room to talk, considering the bizarre things that had taken place during the Wave mission…He quickly created a clone to tap Natsu awake, completely aware that the redhead was a bad sleeper. Not only had he been tossing and turning the whole night, but when he awoke his reactions were…aggressive.

It was lucky he made the clone, because Natsu slashed out with a kunai as he was startled awake. It wouldn't have seriously hurt Naruto, but he would've definitely had a scratch for his troubles.

Coming awake immediately after his reflexive action, Natsu sighed. "Sorry about that, kid. Ingrained reaction."

Naruto shrugged. "I made a clone." He replied simply as he offered a hand to pull Natsu to his feet.

Natsu took the offered assistance and stood. "What's up? Message come in?"

Naruto nodded and led the way out of the tent. Raidō beckoned them both over. "Looks like Kiri is sending two for reinforcements. They'll be here soon."

Natsu cocked his head slightly to the side. "Hmm, this will be interesting. Kiri's been pretty isolated in the past few years, so no one is really sure of how strong their ranks are. Other than the old Seven Swordsman of the Mist group and the Mizukages, they haven't had many famous ninja."

Raidō nodded. "I'm not sure how this will work. One might be technically considered higher rank since he's one of Kiri's best, but we still are on Hi no Kuni soil at the moment. Guess we'll do a joint command mission….or hope he defers to me."

Hayate sighed. "Joint missions are always tricky, especially with villages we aren't allied with. Considering Kiri has been rather hostile to all the other big villages…this could get a little dicey, Captain."

Genma chuckled. "At least this mission will be interesting!" he exclaimed, a little too happily for the situation.

"Suicidal bastard." Raidō muttered under his breath. Either Genma didn't hear the insult, or he ignored Raidō's words. Most likely the former. Raidō shook his head and continued, "You should all pack up camp and get ready to move. We want to be prepared whenever the Kiri nin get here."

Everyone moved to pack up their gear. Within the hour, it was done. The group sat around eating a delicious breakfast of ration bars while they waited for the two Kiri nin to show.

It was about forty five minutes before they showed. A man and a woman, both clad in normal Kirigakure Jounin gear. The man had dark hair covering one eye, while his visible eye was a golden brown hue. The woman was beautiful in a plain way befitting of a kunoichi, with long, dark hair and pretty green eyes. As a ninja, to be too attractive or too ugly was to stand out. The man inclined his head slightly. "I am Utakata, a Jounin of Kirigakure." His voice was smooth and pleasant, but rather reserved. All of the ninja from Konohagakure took special note that he did not mention a last name. Odd….The woman smiled, almost a little flirtatiously. "My name is Hiroko Nao. I am also a Jounin of Kirigakure. Good to meet you; I hope we work together well."

Raidō smiled in return. "My name is Namiashi Raidō. I am captain of this squad. These are Shiranui Genma, Gekko Hayate, Uzari Natsu, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyuuga Neji. We are all Jounin excepting Neji and Naruto. Do you have any orders from the Mizukage?"

Utakata looked to Nao. Clearly she was the commanding officer here. Nao smiled at them again. Taking in the men's appearance, she was a little disappointed. Hayate, Raidō, and Genma all looked somewhat similar, though Genma was a little better looking. Still, they were all to plain for her tastes. Naruto and Neji were too young for her. The redhead caught her attention. He would definitely qualify as a bishounen, and she liked the pretty boys the best. Finally Nao said, "Our orders are to eliminate the threat on a joint mission. However, I am to let you lead for the most part."

Raidō nodded. "We have found the missing nin's location. As I'm sure you were informed, there are four higher ranked targets. Kenji Roka, the A-rank nin from Kusagakure, two B-rank nin from Iwa, and one B-rank from Kumo. Our plan was to send the Genin after the rabble, and divide and conquer the rest. I was planning to take the A-rank. You two can choose to help me, or choose your own targets. It might be best for you two to work together as you are obviously more familiar with each other than any of us."

Nao pouted inwardly. _That's no fun!_ She quickly began to scheme. The redhead definitely appeared to be the youngest, so it would be a safe bet to assume he was the newest Jounin. Of course, there was always the possibility of him being a prodigy that was promoted early, but the odds were slim. "Utakata and I actually aren't well acquainted with each other. We're focused in different areas. I'm heavily close-combat oriented, and he's more stealth or distance specialized. That being said, I think it would be best if I went with the least experienced out of your four, and Utakata can provide back-up where needed while watching over the Genin."

Raidō looked thoughtful. "That plan seems sound. Natsu is the newest Jounin, so you would be with him. It also works out well because we had planned to leave Natsu two-on-one if I needed help. Though I suppose Utakata would help me in that instance now." He didn't seem to catch on to Nao's ulterior motives…but she wasn't a Jounin for nothing. She may appreciated eye candy, but that wouldn't stop her from doing her job.

Nao turned to Natsu, outwardly appearing to contemplate him in a purely professional matter. Inwardly she was appreciatively taking in his good looks. He was a little short for a man of his apparent age, but his build was attractive, if wiry. His silky hair was about shoulder-length and pulled back away from his face. Interestingly, his eyes were a hue she had never seen in another person before; a deep, luminescent violet. As far as his facial features, she wouldn't exactly call him handsome; pretty was a better word. Even his bone structure was deceptively feminine. In the end, though, what was truly attractive to her was the way he moved; graceful, as if gliding in a complicated dance no one else was aware of. It was only common for veteran weapon experts or seductresses. As a true professional kunoichi, she could appreciate strength when she saw it. "What do you specialize in?" She asked while continuing to study him.

Natsu raised his eyes to meet hers, as she was a little taller. It didn't show on his face, but he was a little uncomfortable under her scrutiny. "Fūinjutsu and Katon Ninjutsu, Hiroko-san."

Nao considered his words. "Okay. We'll work it out during the fight; I'm sure it won't be hard."

Natsu nodded in reply before turning to Raidō. "Are we moving out then?"

All the others looked to Raidō as well. Raidō blinked. "Yeah, let's get moving. We'll use a diamond-box formation. For the diamond, Neji in front, Utakata right, Genma left, Naruto back. For the box, Hayate and Natsu front, and Nao and I will bring up the rear. Any objections?"

When no objections were raised, they got in position and headed to the trees. Neji activated his Byakugan. When they approached the missing nin base of operations, the Hyuuga stopped to wait for orders.

Raidō looked around the base, searching for an easy way in. "Be as stealthy as possible." He ordered. "Genma and Hayate with me. Nao and Natsu, you two stick together. Utakata, keep with Neji and Naruto for now. They aren't really experienced in missions like these. Naruto, Neji, Utakata is your commanding officer. Follow his orders. Everyone, be cautious. We got all the intel we could, but there are always surprises. I imagine there has to be some Kiri nin in charge of all this." The eight ninja split into three and moved in opposite directions.

**-with Neji, Naruto, and Utakata- **

As they neared the left side of the base, Utakata motioned for them to enter the second story window before leading the way. At the crashing sound, the alarm was sounded. The room was instantly filled with low-grade ninja; mainly Chuunin by the looks of them. With an audible popping sound, Naruto made the cross seal and formed several Kage Bunshin. For Neji, Jyuuken was all that was required to cut through the mob of shinobi beginning to panic at their rapidly dwindling numbers. Utakata, the Genin were shocked to see, was…blowing bubbles? Incredulous and a little indignant, Naruto turned to chastise the Jounin. However, something in the dark-haired man's eyes stopped him from opening his mouth. Instead, he took a quick moment to watch as the bubbles neared the Chuunin.

It was really a good thing Naruto and Utakata had not been facing each other in battle. If they had, Naruto reckoned he would be a pile of sooty ashes on the ground about right now. Though bubbles were a very strange and (in Naruto's opinion) stupid weapon, they were very effective. As the bubbles made contact with the rather amused Chuunin, their expressions turned to that of horror as the bubbles exploded.

The room was clear within moments, and Utakata glided forward. He may have been stuck with babysitting duty, but he would get his share of fighting. He would make sure of it.

Neji and Naruto quickly moved to follow. The trio continued cutting down anyone in their path….

**-with Nao and Natsu- **

The Kiri kunoichi and Natsu had taken the back of the base and slipped unnoticed through the door, withdrawing a single kunai and switching it to the reverse grip. While they were moving through the halls, they took out various underlings with ease.

Nao, to her surprise, was actually enjoying herself. Missions like this had become somewhat droll to her; as one of the most skilled kunoichi in her village (excepting the Mizukage), she rarely found something to test herself with. While this mission had not been particularly difficult so far, having attractive company was making the task much more pleasurable. Not only that, but this Natsu Uzari was a good shinobi. His kills were clean and effortless. His agile Taijutsu movements were incredible to watch. She was interested to see what his true skills were; he had said he specialized in Fūinjutsu and Ninjutsu, but she had yet to see him use either. If his Taijutsu was this good and it wasn't even his true specialty, she was very eager to see the rest of what he had to offer.

Natsu was enjoying himself as well. Though it hadn't been too long since he'd come to live with Naruto, it felt like he'd been away from missions far too long. Though this wasn't as exciting as the missions he normally took on, it was a step in the right direction. Nao was a good partner to work with. She was efficient and skilled. Besides that, she seemed more pleasant, personality-wise, than Utakata. As long as she was easy to work with, he didn't mind having her along. Most of his missions in the past had been performed solo. While he was really in no danger, it was a nice change to have someone along to watch his back, even if said person seemed to be watching his back _a little too closely_ for comfort_._

They had traversed several floors before the finally came to a B-rank nin. It wasn't either Iwa missing nin as Raidō had planned, but that wasn't too big of a deal with the extra help he now had. The Kumo nin snarled at them, knowing immediately by the way they moved that the Konoha and Kiri nin were no simple Genin. "You shouldn't be here! That bastard Kenji is making me clean up the messes, and I'm sick of it. Surrender or die!"

Natsu pulled out a second kunai with a snort. "No thanks." He retorted calmly. Nao chuckled. "I don't think so either. Will you tell us your name, little Kumo nin? Perhaps someone will remember you that way. Plus, you could have a bounty. I'm sure the Raikage would be pleased to know a traitor to his village has been eliminated."

The Kumo nin sneered back. "I will tell you my name, girl, but only because you have a right to know the name of your killer. I am Tsuragi Arata."

Natsu did not offer his name in reply as he moved in with great speed to exchange a flurry of blows with Arata. He blocked every swipe the Kumo nin attempted, and managed to land a few hard blows of his own. He smirked inwardly. _You are nothing compared to Itachi._ Bored, he motioned for Nao to take him on at close quarters while he readied a Ninjutsu.

Nao grinned in a sanguinary manner and moved quickly to incapacitate Arata. She was very skilled with her kunai, but this was a B-rank missing nin. Kumo was not known for having soft shinobi, and Arata was no pushover. What he was, however, was outnumbered. In the end that simple fact sparked his downfall.

Natsu finished his series of seals and Nao, sensing the impending danger, flung herself to the side to take cover. **"Katon: Nenshou Fenikkusu Konzetsu no Jutsu!" **(Fire Release: Burning Phoenix Eradication) A great crackling noise was heard as a huge burst of white fire spewed from Natsu's mouth, the heat scorching the walls. The jutsu appeared as a giant bird swooping at the enemy with talons extended. When the burst of flame cleared, a horribly charred corpse was all that remained of Tsurugi Arata.

Nao whistled, impressed. "When you say you specialize in Katon jutsu, you aren't kidding. That was…_hot_."

Natsu barely refrained from smashing his head into the wall, but only barely. He said nothing in response, choosing to ignore the horrible pun laced with innuendo. Instead, he simply said, "Guess we've done one part, time to help exterminate more pests. Let's try to find those Iwa nin." With a few short strides, he glided to the corpse and cut of the head for the bounty, smirking slightly at the barely recognizable hitai-ate. With the ease of lots of practice he sealed the head away in a sealing scroll.

Nao pouted, sad that he wouldn't respond. It wasn't as fun when they didn't respond, or react...but she would get him to react. She _would._

Natsu moved into the hall way and resumed cutting down anyone in his path, ignoring his companion.

**-with Raidō, Hayate, and Genma- **

Feeling low on chakra, Raidō moved towards the rapidly cooling corpse of Kenji Roka. It had been a tough fight, and he had the injuries to show for it. Nothing too serious, but he felt exhausted and a little woozy. Unfortunately, Kenji and the two Iwa nin had been all together. At least his group had come upon them; Nao and Natsu might've had a bit of a rough time being two on three versus this group. Genma and Hayate hadn't had too much trouble, but they had both fought one-on-one with less skilled opponents. Genma was sporting a long gash on his left arm, and Hayate coughed more than usual.

Efficiently, he collected the heads of all three missing nin. "I do believe this is mission accomplished. Signal the others to pull out; Natsu can bring the whole place down around their ears." Jumping from the window, he motioned that the other two follow him.

Hayate lit a flare once they were outside, and the other two groups quickly appeared.

Utakata eyed the building with distaste. "Shall I finish them?" he questioned Raidō.

Raidō cocked his head. "Do you have a jutsu for that?"

Utakata nodded. "Explosive tags would help. Or Katon jutsu. But yes, I am very good with explosions."

Naruto, having seen the evidence of that statement in person, paled slightly.

Natsu paused and spoke to Utakata. "Just tell me when, and I'll light the place up."

After everyone had moved a safe distance away, Utakata begin his jutsu, blowing dozen of bubbles. "Ninpou: Kibakuĥo." (Ninja Art: Explosive Bubble)

Taking his implicit cue, Natsu began a series of hand seals. "Katon: Kaon Bakudan." (Fire Release: Heat Bomb) A burst of compressed fire blew from his mouth.

He and Utakata quickly backpedalled as the superheated fireball met the bubbles. The boom was nearly deafening, and the missing nin base was razed to the ground, along with the surrounding landscape.

Naruto and Neji stared in wonder. After using such powerful jutsu neither man looked even remotely tired. So _this_ was the level of a Jounin. They had a long ways to go.

Raidō watched the fire, the flames reflecting in his cobalt eyes. A quick water jutsu later and the fire was doused. "Mission accomplished." Turning to the two Kirigakure ninjas, he bowed. "Thank you for your assistance in this matter. The Hokage extends an invitation for the Mizukage to visit the Finals of the Chuunin Exams. They have yet to meet, it seems. He would like to discuss trade agreements."

Nao smiled and bowed in return. "I will pass along your message, but I promise nothing. It was nice to work with you. Take care. I hope I will face none of you in battle, but if I do in the future, I will not hold back."

Raidō smirked. "The same for us. Farewell." The Kiri and Konoha nin went their separate ways and started the long journey back to their respective villages.

After the fast-paced journey back, they all wrote their reports. Finally, a day later, they stood in the Hokage's office, going over the details of the mission.

Raidō had just finished relating the entire story, and the Sandaime nodded in approval. "A complete success, then. Congratulations; you are all dismissed. Take a few days off. Naruto, you have three days until the Finals. Rest for one of them; you must be tired from travelling."

Naruto nodded. "Understood, Hokage-sama." With a brief farewell to the rest of the team, Natsu and Naruto left together and returned to the apartment to sleep off the long mission.

**-Three Days Later- **

The twelve Chuunin Exam finalists stood in the arena, excited to finally find out who they would be facing. Shiranui Genma finally stepped from the shadows and approached the Genin, holding a box while a single fist-sized hole on the top extended towards them. Various seals were scrawled all over the box. Naruto snorted with amusement when he realized the seals must be to prevent cheating…like the Byakugan. He was interrupted by his entertaining musings by a familiar voice. "My name is Shiranui Genma and I am the Proctor of the Final Chuunin Exam. Please draw your number, and I will explain the rules." He winked subtly and Naruto and Neji. Neji blatantly ignored the Jounin while Naruto grinned back.

The Genins walked up one by one and drew a number.

_Nara Shikamaru – 4_

_Uzumaki Naruto – 9 _

_Hyuuga Hinata – 6_

_Yamanaka Ino – 5_

_Karei Haku – 12_

_Hyuuga Neji - 7_

_Nii Yugito – 2_

_Aburame Shino – 1_

_Subaku no Gaara – 10_

_Izumi Karin – 11_

_Uchiha Sasuke – 8_

_Subaku no Temari – 3_

Taking a look at their numbers, Genma looked down at a sheet of paper. "I will now explain the rules of the Final exam. You have been matched up against another Genin…but this is not like the preliminaries. You will be in a team of two, fighting two other Genin. The first four fighters…" he glanced down, seemingly at a bracket. "Karei Haku and Izumi Karin vs. Nii Yugito and Aburame Shino. All other fighters must leave the arena at this time. Teams in the first match will have two minutes to come up with a strategy and then the match will begin. There is one additional rule: no killing is permitted in this exam. To win, you must defeat your opponents while they are alive and or knock them unconscious. Your two minutes start…now."

The other exam participants moved to the balcony to watch. The first two teams up quickly began to talk quietly between themselves.

Karin and Haku were not totally against working together, but they would both rather be on their own. They would have to work together well to win this match, and they understood that. Putting their qualms aside, they began to formulate a plan. Haku's main strength was her kekkei genkai, and Karin was good with minor Genjutsu, a few elemental Ninjutsu and chakra scalpels. Based on that, they decided that Haku would use her kekkei genkai, and Karin would attempt to disguise herself via Genjutsu before moving in for a disabling shot with chakra scalpels.

Shino and Yuugito were not as used to fighting alone as Karin and Haku. Shino was part of a tracking squad, and therefore usually worked as a unit. Yuugito, while accustomed to being on her own as a Jinchuuriki, had enough experience under her belt to work well as a team player. Their plan was quick and concise; Yuugito took close range and Shino played backup, keeping their two opponents from ganging up on Yuugito and subtly attempting to drain their chakra. With any luck, Yugito would outlast the others with her large chakra supplies, and Shino would drain the kunoichis' chakra with his Kikaichuu. They were just starting to plan how they would begin the fight when a voice rang out.

"TIME! Teams, prepare for combat!" Genma bellowed. "Ready? BEGIN!"

Haku immediately sprang into action, Karin at her back. The ice mirrors formed around Yuugito while Shino darted to the side. Drawing in close with a burst of speed, Haku entered the mirrors and readied her senbon.

Out of Karin and Haku's view, Shino quickly made a bug clone and sent it towards Karin, hiding himself with a camouflage jutsu. It wasn't his fighting style to go head-to-head with someone else, and that was okay. Sneaky ninjas were good ninjas, after all.

Karin smiled slightly as the Aburame shot towards her. He was faster than she would have expected. The Aburame's were a fairly well-known clan, but they had their own clan secrets just like anyone else. She was looking forward to this fight very much.

Yuugito was finding that this Haku kunoichi was better than she expected. Admittedly, she had entered into the exams with a fairly haughty attitude. Even if she didn't make Chuunin, she was sure that she would be promoted by the Raikage shortly after the Exams. The only reason she hadn't been already was so that Kumogakure would have a strong showing in the exams: namely, her. However, this Haku was no slouch! Two senbon had already grazed her before she decided to step up her game.

It seemed that Haku's technique relied mainly on great speed. To answer that, she began to channel a small amount of the Nibi's chakra through her circulatory system, granting her a boost in speed as well.

Haku simply smiled at that, moving her new mask in front of her face. She had gotten so used to wearing the mask that she now found it increased her concentration in battle.

Yuugito began throwing out elemental techniques, attempting to crack the mirrors. Though they were indeed powerful techniques, nothing seemed to be working.

Karin, on the other hand, was finding her fight difficult as well. She was a close-quarters fighter. She had to be close in order to use chakra scalpels. Aburame Shino was preventing that. His kikai swarmed her anytime she got even remotely close. She had to find a way to get rid of those pesky bugs before she could showcase her own skill.

Haku was working on Yuugito. She had made several improvements to her demonic ice mirrors since she had last encountered Naruto's team, and was very eager to see if the results of her training had paid off.

The fight was long and drawn out, as all four of the fighters were rather methodological thinkers, and would test the waters before diving in.

Karin attempted to use an earth jutsu to trap the kikai in the mud. She had sensed that the opponent she was facing was a clone, and Shino was hiding elsewhere. Though she didn't manage to break through Shino's kikai wall, she did succeed in drawing him from his concealed hiding place and into a more direct fight. Once she had drawn him out, Shino immediately sent a spiral of kikai towards her. Though she managed to trap a few away, she lost quite a bit of chakra to the rest in the process.

In the meantime, Yuugito and Haku were battling it out. Unbeknownst to Yuugito, Haku was slowly drawing her into an elaborate trap. Haku had layered Genjutsu into her kekkei genkai. It had taken so much work and practice, but she had changed her ice mirrors technique into a sort of demonic house-of-mirrors. The technique was extremely disorienting, as Yuugito began to feel like she would never escape the mirrors. The Genjutsu became even more intense when Haku pumped in more chakra, hoping to end the fight quickly. The extra chakra served to cut off Yuugito's senses one by one.

Unfortunately, Yuugito was not one of the best ninja in her village for nothing. She eventually recognized the technique as a Genjutsu and dispelled it. Thus, with both Haku and Karin low on chakra, the fight drew to a close.

Haku briefly considered using her Four-Tails chakra and abilities, but she did not want to tip her hand. There also seemed to be some sort of unspoken agreement that Jinchuuriki would stay in control of themselves. Konoha was very jumpy when it came to demonic chakra (rightfully so, Haku supposed), and she did not want to cause a scene.

Eventually, Haku and Karin gave up due to lack of chakra to continue fighting with. Genma named Yuugito and Shino the victors, and congratulated them all on a good match.

Yuugito gave Haku a nod of respect. As a trained Jinchuuriki who communicated frequently with the Nibi, she now knew that Haku was a Jinchuuriki. As such, she also knew that Haku could have continued fighting for a great deal longer. To do such, though, would bring a fight that neither wanted to show in such a public place. Ninjas must have their hidden aces, and both kunoichi knew that very well.

Haku returned the nod. All four competitors moved away from the arena and into the stands.

Genma quickly moved to announce the next match. "Our next fight will be Yamanaka Ino and Hyuuga Hinata versus Subaku no Temari and Nara Shikamaru. Competitors, please come down to the arena. When you arrive, you have two minutes to discuss strategy. Good luck."

The four fighters quickly made their way to the arena floor. Shikamaru sighed and bemoaned his fate to himself. _Women…how troublesome…_ He let loose a longsuffering sigh that made Temari's eyebrow twitch in exasperation.

Ino and Hinata quickly began discussing tactics. Well, more Ino than Hinata. Ino informed Hinata that she would take the lead here. Ino knew that Hinata was probably the best kunoichi in their year, whether she acknowledged it out loud or not. Hinata had the Jyuuken, after all. Ino had only recently come into her own under Kurenai's tutelage. Though she viewed herself as a credible kunoichi now, she didn't think she could keep up with Temari. That girl was hardcore and Hinata could probably match her better blow for blow.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, was someone Ino had grown up around her whole life. While he was wicked smart, he was also incorrigibly lazy. As long as his team put on a good show, he wouldn't put too much effort into the fight. So the plan was, in short: Hinata keeps Temari away from her, they perform some flashy jutsu, and from there just do the best they can. Ino could admit that she didn't really expect to win this fight: while Hinata was a great kunoichi, she definitely lacked the confidence to become a Chuunin. In contrast, Temari was clearly Chuunin-material. Ino wasn't sure that she herself was ready, and Shikamaru was a genius so it could go either way (depending on how much effort he put in).

Temari knew next to nothing about the Nara she was paired with. Sure, she had seen that shadow jutsu during the preliminaries. He also seemed to be quite intelligent, if very lazy. Since they were from different villages, teamwork between them would be more difficult. She couldn't help but feel this matchup was deliberate; while the Yamanaka and the Hyuuga were clearly weaker individually than she was, their teamwork would be much more flawless than hers and the Nara's.

It made a twisted sort of sense and she could see the practicality in it. Chuunins were squad leaders, after all. If you couldn't work with people from other villages, you had no business being a Chuunin. All that was left to do was step up to the plate, accept the challenge, and fight tooth and nail for her promotion. No biggie.

Shikamaru sighed as he prepared himself mentally. This would be a troublesome fight…

Genma called time, and the teams quickly faced off. "BEGIN!"


	28. Chapter 27: The Finals

{{ In a place worn down by sadness  
>something called a miracle, is waiting<br>Yet we are still searching  
>for the sunflower that grows at the end of spring<p>

Even if it cuts through the rain and clouds,  
>The wet roads shine,<br>Only the dark will teach,  
>A stronger and stronger light,<br>Be strong, go forward, move ahead.

~Only Human by K }}

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><p><strong>AN: Hiya guys! After a long few days in and out of the airport, I've gotten a lot written. Hope you enjoy, and review. ^.^ *puppy dog eyes* **

**For those of you who think that Orochimaru's defeat was too easy…well, I'll put it this way. Tsunade and Jiraiya are pretty much equal to Orochimaru. Maybe both a little weaker overall, but together they could take him for sure. Add the Sandaime and Natsu into the mix, and it's suddenly a very unbalanced fight in Konoha's favor. **

**Also, Sasuke killed him. **_**Sasuke, **_**someone I would never consider close to a Kage's level. Granted, Orochimaru was very weak and apparently wasn't **_**really**_** killed since it seems he possessed Kabuto or something. But yeah. I think my point stands…**

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><p><strong>Chapter 27: The Finals<strong>

As soon as the start of the match was announced, Temari leapt into action. Swinging her war fan, she caused a gust of wind to blow straight towards Ino and Hinata.

Ino blocked using a minor Doton jutsu, while Hinata moved to get in close range with Temari, knowing the kunoichi would be weaker against close quarters combat, which she excelled in. However, she was stopped in her tracks by Shikamaru's Kage Mane no Jutsu. Growling with annoyance, Ino tried to engage Shikamaru only to be intercepted by Temari.

The blonde Suna nin smirked. "Not likely!" she taunted, aware that she was the superior fighter. Shikamaru sighed, still holding the jutsu. "Troublesome…" it was irritating, but keeping Hinata occupied was their best shot at winning (and therefore finishing this thing quickly). Temari smirked, prideful that her plan was working.

Ino resisted the urge to snarl. She had trained so hard to prepare for these exams, but Temari was matching her hit for hit and making it look effortless. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ino created a wall of clones to conceal the Genjutsu she was attempting to put Temari under. Unfortunately, Shikamaru intervened. "Genjutsu!" he called to Temari from his motionless position holding Hinata with his jutsu. With a muttered curse Temari quickly called out, "Kai!" and dispelled the Genjutsu.

Hinata smiled as a plan came to her. "Ino-san! Katon jutsu!" Ino's eyes lit up as she understood and began to start the jutsu. Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He was hoping that Hinata would've just stayed put for at least a little while longer…but he was out of luck. The Katon jutsu shot towards Hinata, casting light on the shadow and breaking Shikamaru's jutsu for a split second.

That split second was all Hinata needed to get out of Shikamaru's range. She dropped back to stand at Ino's shoulder. "Ino-san…do you have a jutsu to keep Nara-san from catching me in his jutsu? I do not think we will win otherwise." The Hyuuga heiress poked her fingers together, glancing up at Naruto. _Naruto-san….I will do my best!_ Ino sighed. "I'm not sure, Hinata. Whenever I spar with Shika he's too lazy to take it seriously. I'll try to produce some results, but I can't promise anything." She readied herself for Shintenshin no Jutsu. _Now how do I stop him from moving when he knows all about this jutsu?_

While they were planning, Temari was readying her next jutsu. Looking to Shikamaru, she smirked. "Ready, lazybones?" Shikamaru sighed in reply. "Troublesome…" he grumbled as he moved to her side. Temari snorted. "I'll take that as a yes." She let her Great Breakthrough Jutsu loose.

Ino tried to block it with a wall of earth again, but her attempts were unsuccessful. Scores of shallow but painful cuts covered her and Hinata's bodies. Temari and Shikamaru moved in to disable Ino with the distraction, careful to stay out of Hinata's Jyuuken range.

"Now!" Ino suddenly yelled, and in a burst of speed Hinata was upon her opponents, targeting Shikamaru's tenketsu.

Grunting, Shikamaru stumbled back and found himself unable to use chakra. Temari quickly retaliated, blowing Hinata backwards and slamming the Hyuuga girl into a wall.

Ino began to make the hand seals for the Shintenshin no Jutsu while Temari was busy, but Shikamaru caught on right away. "Keep moving! Her jutsu can only hit you if you're still!" he warned Temari, pulling out a kunai and attempting to intercept Ino. Inwardly he berated himself for underestimating Hinata's speed. He was a second too late to help Temari as Ino's mind entered Temari's body.

However, Shikamaru quickly put his kunai to Ino's throat, taking her limp body hostage. Hinata got up and stepped back towards the center of the arena, unsure how to proceed.

In Temari's mind, a battle of wills was taking place. Ino was attempting to take charge, but Temari was doing her absolute best to prevent that from happening. It was like a mental game of tug-o-war. In the end, though, Temari won and Ino was forced back into her own body. Shikamaru returned Temari's smirk. "Operation Bait: Success!" Temari announced. "Surrender." Shikamaru ordered, tightening his hold around Ino's throat slightly.

Ino sighed. "Good fight, Hinata. I'm sorry I lost it for us at the end." Lifting her head up proudly, I announced, "I give up!"

Thunderous applause met the end of the match, and Shikamaru immediately released Ino and sunk to the ground, clutching his Jyuuken'd side. "Should've just given up…" he mumbled absently.

Ino whacked him. "Sloth!" she accused, annoyed at losing to such an unmotivated person.

Genma cleared his throat. "If we're done with the byplay, let's move on to the next match. Winners: Nara Shikamaru and Subaku no Temari. Please leave the arena." The four fighters complied, albeit with much grumbling on Shikamaru's part.

The mood in the arena was filled with anticipation, as only four fighters remained: Hyuuga Neji, Uzumaki Naruto, Subaku no Gaara, and the favorite Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto congratulated Ino as she returned to the stands. "Good fight! It was a tough matchup for you girls." Hinata overheard and blushed darkly. He thought she'd done well!

Naruto was about to congratulate Shikamaru and Temari on their win when Genma began speaking again. "The final match will be Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke vs. Uzumaki Naruto and Subaku no Gaara! Participants, please make your way down to the ground level."

Naruto exchanged a smile with Gaara, something the redhead's siblings looked shocked at. Turning to Sasuke and Neji, he only smirked. "May the best men win." Distantly he could hear Gai ranting about the 'powers of youth,' but he tuned it out, waiting for Sasuke's reply. "Idiot." Sasuke snorted, but he sounded amused rather than haughty. "Shut up and walk."

Neji rolled his eyes at the two and slipped past them without comment, heading down to the arena floor. Sasuke followed him.

Gaara turned to Naruto. "We have the advantage, because we can communicate wordlessly." He met Naruto's sky-blue eyes with his aquamarine. "I do not think this is a fight we will lose. Those two may be considered prodigies, but our suffering has made us stronger."

Naruto laughed and clasped Gaara's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Not exactly. What makes a person strong is when they have someone to protect."

Temari looked shocked that the sand hadn't prevented Naruto from touching Gaara. She started to ask, but stopped herself. Gaara was acting calm at the moment, but that could change rather quickly.

Naruto and Gaara continued down to the arena's ground floor, and Genma began their strategizing time. Naruto spoke quickly. "Both our opponents have powerful dojutsu. Neji has pretty much 360-degree vision, and Sasuke can predict your moves and copy your jutsu. I'd suggest you not use any jutsu you don't want thrown back at you. Shouldn't be a problem since he can't copy your sand jutsu at all, but just fair warning. Our advantages here are my stamina and quick healing and your strong defense. Since we can't kill, do you have any problems playing protector to us both while I take the offensive?" Gaara considered this. "And the Hyuuga's Jyuuken? How do you plan to counter that?" Naruto grimaced. "It'll be painful, but I can do it with brute force thanks to my healing capabilities and absurdly large chakra capacity. Actually, Sasuke will be the real problem. Neji is sort of a one-trick pony. Once you defeat his Jyuuken he doesn't have much else. But having Sasuke around severely limits my jutsu library. I don't want that little thief stealing all my hard-earned jutsu." Sighing, he finished, "Just keep them from tag teaming me and we'll be good. Here's what we'll do…"

On the other side of the arena, the talk was less friendly. Neither Sasuke nor Neji worked well with others, and both were used to being in charge. Finally, they decided that Sasuke would directly engage Naruto and try to draw him into Neji's range. When that happened, Sasuke would distract Gaara while Neji took Naruto out. It was a little bit of an unsatisfactory way to win for Sasuke, but even Naruto couldn't do jutsu with his tenketsu blocked.

Genma called time and the final two teams faced off. "Begin!" Sasuke immediately sped towards Naruto. _Predictable…he really should've gone for Gaara._ Naruto thought. Gaara and Neji also moved towards each other tentatively, both knowing the other had a deadly close-combat move. Sasuke was honestly surprised. He knew that Naruto had been training with a Taijutsu master, but he didn't expect so much improvement from his blonde teammates. Naruto had always had very clumsy Taijutsu, a clear sign of the lack of training he had received on that subject. Now, though, the idiot was matching him blow for blow. It significantly lessened his and Neji's chance at victory.

Naruto spammed out a few Kage Bunshin to keep Sasuke occupied and Henged himself into a rock, letting the fight take its course. Within that mix of Kage Bunshin, he made one especially durable to trick Sasuke into believing it was him. Truthfully, it was made for the sole purpose of taking a few Jyuuken hits.

Gaara continued to stand behind 'Naruto' slightly, arms crossed over his chest. Sand flew freely around him and Naruto, protecting them for Sasuke's small Katon jutsu and shuriken. Naruto's durable lone moved in on Neji, pretending to be ignorant of the Hyuuga's range. This immediately set off alarm bells in Sasuke's head. Despite how it seemed sometimes, Naruto was very intelligent. To step into a trap had to mean Naruto had a counterattack planned. It was too late to intervene, though; Neji was already landing a Jyuuken blow. Coughing, Naruto stumbled back.

_He deliberately took that blow? Why?_ Sasuke wondered. Neji too seemed surprised to have succeeded in just one attempt, but he quickly recovered. "It seems fate has declared you will lose today. Give up; you can no longer use chakra."

Naruto's clone chuckled. "I don't hear fate sayin anything. Give up? The words don't even cross my mind in this situation." With a burst of chakra, he opened his tenketsu again, unable to hold back a grunt of pain. Neji's eyes widened. He was almost unable to believe it, and yet he had just seen it with his own eyes. _Impossible…_

Even Gaara and Sasuke seemed surprised at the turn of events. "That all you got?" 'Naruto' coughed again, grinning at the turn of events. Using the provided distraction, Gaara sent his sand to immobilize Neji.

"Kaiten!" A strangled shout came from the Hyuuga as he sent the sand spiraling away. Gaara seemed very unaffected by this as he moved in front of the injured clone. "Give up. There is nothing you can do to win."

Sasuke grew angry at those words. If he couldn't beat two Genin, how would he ever kill Itachi? All the training he'd received from Tsunade about maintaining a rein on his temper fled his mind, along with the techniques and fine control he'd gained from her. The darker part of his psyche took over, and he brought out the only truly malignant jutsu he knew. With a snarl and a few hand seals, a screaming chirping sound was emitted from the ball of chakra gathering in the Uchiha's hand. "Chidori!"

Naruto panicked quickly. He'd read of Kakashi the "Copy Nin's" famous technique, Raikiri. He also knew that it had another version called Chidori. Even worse, he knew that Chidori was the technique Sasuke had used in the other timelines to harm Naruko and Natsu. Recognizing the jutsu for the A-rank assassination technique that it was, Naruto immediately released his henge and sprang into action. "Sasuke!" his angry yell caused the raven to hesitate, but only for a moment.

Hearing the panic in Naruto's voice, Gaara reacted instantly by drawing more sand around himself and forming a thick, sphere-shaped shield. Though the shield lessened the damage, it did not stop it completely. The chirping lightning jutsu pierced through the shield and into Gaara's side.

Hearing Gaara's scream of pain, the Kyuubi's chakra bubbled around Naruto and formed the one-tailed cloak. Baring his teeth in furious rage, his eyes glowed red, his whisker marks darkened, and his nails grew to claws. The sand collapsed around Gaara, and Sasuke pulled his fist free with a wet squelching sound. Gaara swayed and fell backwards, face gray and drawn. Genma began to call the match, but a single glare from Naruto's Kyuubi-fied eyes silenced him. In a burst of chakra-enhanced speed, Naruto landed a fist point-blank on Sasuke's face. The Uchiha tumbled backwards, slamming into the wall. Too angry to say anything, Naruto sped towards Neji and held a poisoned kunai right above his throat. "Call the match. It's poisoned." He spat at Genma.

Genma looked to the Sandaime, who nodded confirmation. "Winners: Uzumaki Naruto and Subaku no Gaara!" As soon as the words left the proctor's mouth, Naruto was back at Gaara's side. The Ichibi Jinchuuriki was unconscious but breathing. "Tsunade!" he barked, not even looking up from the comatose redhead. Those close enough to hear caught their breaths. The timbre and tone of command in Naruto's voice was frighteningly similar to a much beloved village leader, and the familiarity was almost painful to hear.

Tsunade quickly made her way down. "Yeah, yeah. Don't give me orders, brat!" She knelt by Gaara's side and did a quick diagnostic scan. "It's nothing life-threatening." She quickly assured Naruto. "It seems he fainted more from shock than the actual injury. It will take time to fully heal, but I can do a pretty good patch-up job." She did just that as she spoke. "There. He should be taken to the hospital." Naruto adamantly shook his head. "No. He is a Jinchuuriki, and would not be treated well. I will take him to a safe place, where no one will bother him." He quickly made a Kage Bunshin, which carried Gaara away. "I will let his family know what is going on. Is the Kazekage still here?"

To Tsunade, it would just seem that Naruto wanted to inform the boy's father of his well-being. However, Naruto knew the "Kazekage's" secret: that he was not, in fact, the Kazekage, but Orochimaru. Tsunade squinted against the sun and looked up to check. "He's still up there. Would you like me to inform him?" Naruto was about to answer when Natsu Shunshined to the arena floor, meeting Naruto's gaze. "I'll take care of it." The Jounin told Naruto. "You just worry about Sasuke and Gaara. Make sure Gaara is safe, and don't let Sasuke within _his_ sight. Tsunade-hime, you might want to come with me."

Tsunade frowned. "Who are you?" Naruto shook his head. "No time, baa-chan. Just know that Natsu is like a brother to me and I trust him with my life. Also, everything here is not what it seems. Protect the Sandaime." He turned away and briskly walked towards Temari. "I have taken your brother to a secure location. Tsunade will personally see to his care; do not worry. Please prepare your forces to fight Sound." Temari was unsure how to respond, so she just nodded. All the other Finalists looked confused, until, in the confusion, the Genjutsu was cast and civilians began dropping like flies.

Shouts came from above. Naruto winced. "We're under attack by Orochimaru and the sound village! Make sure you guys get to safety; this is beyond our level." Ino looked worried. "What about you?" Naruto shook his head. "I'll stay with Gaara, don't worry." He looked to Sasuke. "I'll talk to you later, when I can hold a civil conversation. If I try now I'll just be yelling at you. Perhaps in the meantime you can think about what a huge mistake you just made."

Sasuke did not reply but just glared at Naruto instead. Naruto turned to Neji. "Good match. Stay safe." He said curtly before disappearing in a Shunshin. The sounds of fighting filled the arena as Naruto left. Neji glared at Sasuke. "Next time you can't keep your head, Uchiha, forfeit and spare me the trouble. That was pathetic. Get it together and help get the civilians to safety." He stalked away without a backwards glance, gathering up several civilians that were asleep because of the Genjutsu and moving them away to a safer area. The other Finalists began to do the same, even Sasuke.

IIIII

Tsunade frowned. "What is going on, and why are you a part of it?" Natsu sighed. "I'm one of Naruto's alternates you've probably heard about. Orochimaru disguised himself as the Kazekage and is trying to attack Konoha. He and the Sandaime are fighting now and unless we don't intervene, the old man will die. I'd suggest you find Jiraiya and meet me on the roof. I'll do my best to break that barrier in the meantime." In a burst of speed the redheaded Jounin jumped to the roof.

Tsunade's face grew worried. She may have no love for Konoha, but she didn't want her sensei to die anytime soon. He may be old and soft and foolish, but he was her sensei all the same. She quickly found Jiraiya, informed him of the situation, and moved to the roof to find Natsu.

The redhead was studying the barrier, crouched down on the roof. Jiraiya approached him immediately. "Sarutobi-sensei told me about you. You're the newest Hokage's Ghost, right?"

Natsu nodded. "Right, but we'll have time for that later. Hokage-sama is in danger. The barrier seems impenetrable, but I have not tried to tunnel under it yet. Is Tsume Inuzuka here?" he absently pulled a mask over his face, to ensure that no questions were asked about his unfamiliar features. Most ninja would not take orders from a person they did not recognize, but a mask directly issued by the Hokage would not be ignored.

Tsunade shrugged. "I didn't notice, but I'll check." She disappeared, and came back a moment later with the Inuzuka Clan Head. "What do you need, Ghost?" the Inuzuka matriarch asked.

Natsu smiled beneath his mask. He'd always liked the Inuzuka, even though they hadn't looked underneath the underneath when it came to Sasuke and Kakashi's claims against him. "I want you to try to tunnel under the barrier. It may not end well; the ANBU who tried to touch the barrier was set on fire. But with Tsunade here I think you'll be fine."

Tsume grinned a sharp-toothed smile. "No need to worry about me, youngster. Inuzukas are no stranger to pain. Gatsuuga!" she tunneled under the barrier and reached the other side unharmed. "Seems to have worked!" she yelled from inside the barrier. "I'll engage some of these Sound bastards!"

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Natsu quickly jumped through the tunnel and into the barrier. "You two help Hokage-sama as quickly as possible. I will worry about Orochimaru's bodyguards." ANBU poured through the tunnel to help protect the Hokage, and because of Gaara's help, Orochimaru's forces were very clearly outnumbered. They knew it, too. The Sound four surrendered and released the barrier completely after seeing how many ANBU were gathered, and that the Sand forces weren't helping them out. Konoha's Jounin had already taken out most of the Sound's shinobi already.

Ibiki apprehended the Sound Four and had them escorted to the Torture and Interrogation Department. He then moved towards where the Sannin and Sandaime were fighting, taking several ANBU escorts with him. Natsu, seeing that everything was under control, quickly moved back into the stands and took care of Kabuto with a quick slice to the throat. He received a severed tendon in his arm for the effort, but the slimy traitor was done for.

By the time he incinerated the body and returned to the roof, Orochimaru was being apprehended as well. The Sandaime looked wearied, but he thanked Tsume Inuzuka and all the soldiers for their assistance. Natsu moved to help the Hokage, slinging the old man's arm over his shoulder. "I know this is not what you want to hear, Hokage-sama, but it is probably for the best that Orochimaru-san is executed."

Tsunade and Jiraiya both tensed at Natsu's words. Ibiki sighed. "The Ghost is right, Hokage-sama. Shall I do it now?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was always a gentle man, but he also was a smart man. He knew that he had given Orochimaru too many chances already, and because of his own leniency, Konoha, his treasured village, was now in danger. Hardening his resolve, the Hokage nodded.

Ibiki drew his sword. "By order of the Hokage, missing nin Orochimaru of the Sannin will be executed." The ANBU had used a paralyzing agent on the Sannin, and in a flash the T&I head had separated the traitorous Sannin's head from the rest of his body. "It is done."

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Sarutobi had all looked away, but the deed was indeed done. Natsu looked to the Hokage. "Shall I incinerate the body?" he questioned.

The old man sagged in the redheaded Jounin's hold. He appeared very gray. "Yes, I suppose you should." Natsu passed the Hokage off to Tsunade and moved to do as he was ordered. Natsu felt a great satisfaction as the snake sannin's body went up in flames. So many future lives saved at this moment….

Tsunade and Jiraiya both seemed very disheartened. Jiraiya spoke up. "We will take sensei to the hospital, and make sure everything is okay." Tsunade nodded. "I'm sure the wounded will be pouring in shortly. I'll do what I can for them all." The three moved away quickly.

Ibiki looked to Natsu. "I will take care of the remnants. Good work, Ghost." He said nothing more but got right down to business. Natsu sighed. He found Naruko and Narue. It appeared that the Genjutsu had affected Narue, and Naruko had protected her during the invasion. The younger girl was just starting to wake up, and Naruko was crouched over her. The kunoichi looked up when Natsu approached. "Did you handle everything?" Natsu gave a short nod. "Yes. You two should go find Naruto. I'll…take care of Sasuke."

Naruko frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You and Sasuke…" she trailed off, hyperaware of Narue's presence. Natsu sighed. "Yes. Go—he needs you." With a worried glance or three, the girls obeyed. Natsu attempted to calm his own nerves. Seeing Sasuke so angry brought back bad memories of a harsher, hatred-filled glare, and a sadistic smirk filled with promises of pain. But he had survived with those memories this long; he would not let shadows of the past keep him from playing his role in the present. This Sasuke needed someone, and that was all Natsu needed to spring into action.

Squaring his shoulders, he located Sasuke's chakra signature at a nearby civilian area. _Most likely he's helping the injured civilians. That's a good sign, at least. _He quickly ran towards Sasuke's location. Spotting the raven-headed Genin, he trotted over. "Come with me." He suggested. Sasuke sneered, and Natsu couldn't help his flinch. "Why? Come to berate me, or beat me up for your 'brother?'" Natsu shook his head. "No, Uchiha. I just want to talk." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Talk away." He flung his hands into the air, exasperated. Natsu's whole body tensed, and he barely stopped himself from reaching for a weapon. "No, I want you to talk to me. Why do you think Naruto was angry with you?"

Sasuke scowled. "Because I hurt his new best friend. But it was a fight! What did he expect me to do?" Natsu sighed. "It wasn't that Gaara was hurt. It was that you lost your temper and went for a kill shot, even when your orders said no kills, and your team leader told you to stop." Sasuke grunted. "I was always taught that you can't win a fight if you don't have the intent to kill."

Natsu plopped onto the ground. "So you're saying that your decision was completely rational, and that anger had nothing to do with it?" Sasuke nodded stubbornly, but his face was uncertain. "You don't even believe yourself, Uchiha." Natsu snorted. "Naruto knows it wasn't truly intentional; give him a day or two to cool off and he'll easily forgive you." Sasuke considered this. "And you? Do you think it was intentional?"

Natsu looked away. "You always were a sharp one. No, Uchiha, I don't think it was intentional." _This time…._ "But I do think you need to learn to control your anger. Especially when it comes to Itachi." Sasuke tensed at the name, but said nothing. Inwardly he knew Natsu was right. That didn't mean he would admit it out loud. Turing away from the far-too-perceptive Jounin, Sasuke muttered, "So? How do I apologize?"

For a moment, Natsu was speechless. Finally, he laughed, and couldn't seem to stop. Sasuke reddened. Natsu stopped laughing and rewarded Sasuke with a brilliant smile. Now Sasuke was the speechless one. There was so much of _Naruto_ in that smile, and Natsu was nothing like Naruto except for perhaps a faint resemblance in their faces. But that smile…what had happened to shut that away? He was interrupted from his brooding by a hand waving in front of his face. "Sasuke? You listening?"

Said Uchiha blinked at the abrupt change from surname to first name. "No." he said bluntly. Natsu sighed. "I said that you should apologize to Neji and Gaara first. It was mainly on their behalf that Naruto was offended."

Sasuke frowned, but nodded. Natsu cocked his head. "Other than that, take him to Ichiraku." Sasuke sighed. His wallet would be hurting for a few days…but he nodded nonetheless. Naruto was an important person to him, after all. Somewhere along the way that annoying blonde had become his dearest friend. Sasuke turned to leave, deciding he would start with Neji first. Natsu watched him go, faint smile easing away some of the stress and worry lines on his face. "Perhaps…Naruto will give him a second chance."

IIIII

When Natsu finally made it to the Namikaze mansion, he found Narue asleep and Naruto at Gaara's bedside. Naruko was talking quietly to Tsunade in a corner. Natsu approached the women. "Problems?" Both kunoichi jumped.

"Natsu!" Naruko scolded. "Stop being so sneaky!" Natsu shrugged unapologetically. "It's not as if I'm doing it on purpose." Naruko sighed. "There isn't a problem, but something's up with Naruto. He wouldn't talk to me about it, but maybe you could…?" she trailed off helplessly. Natsu nodded. "I'll see what I can do." He clapped Tsunade on the shoulder. "Thank you for everything, Hime-san." He moved to speak to Naruto. Tsunade followed. Natsu stopped in the doorway, smiling slightly.

Tsunade followed his gaze to see Naruto, who had fallen asleep at the Suna kid's bedside. She slipped past Natsu to check her patients. "How is Gaara?" Natsu asked. "The Sand kid? I've healed him, though he lost quite a bit of blood. He'll be fine, but he'll probably have a scar. It's probably best if he keeps from strenuous activities for a while."

Natsu smiled slightly. "And Naruto? Is it okay if I wake him?" Tsunade snorted and crossed her arms under her chest. "Other than miraculously regaining his voice, the brat is completely fine." Natsu shook Naruto awake. The blonde blinked sleepily at sat up from his slumped position. "Nii-san…" he greeted the Jounin tiredly. Natsu chuckled, the sound warm and kind. "You did well, Naruto." Tsunade left the room, not wanting to intrude on a private conversation.

At Naruto's quizzical look, Natsu continued, "You got through to Sasuke, when even I couldn't." Naruto blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" Natsu moved behind Naruto and placed his hands on the Genin's shoulders. "I spoke with Sasuke before coming here. I know every aspect of Sasuke's dark side…and this Sasuke is different. He really only wants to find Itachi, not kill him. He deludes himself into thinking he has to kill his brother, but I don't think he will really go through with it if he gets the chance. This Sasuke is a changed man, thanks to you."

Some of the stress drained away from Naruto's posture. "That's good to hear. To be honest, I was afraid…" he searched for the words.

Natsu squeezed his shoulders reassuringly. "Afraid to let Sasuke make mistakes? I get it. You just want to save him so badly. But in the end, it is Sasuke's decision which path he will take." He moved to sit on the arm of Naruto's chair and looked the blonde in the eyes. "You did well." He repeated, and with a smile he ruffled his pseudo-brother's hair. Naruto smiled back, eyes a little misty. "Thank you." He responded hoarsely. "Will you stay with Gaara? I need to talk to Sasuke. I was pretty harsh with him." Natsu rose from the chair's armrest and nodded. "Of course." Naruto stood and left with a grateful smile.

IIIII

Sasuke was sitting on the dock skipping stones when he heard light footfalls behind him. Turning, he met Naruto's sky blue gaze and immediately stiffened. There was an awkward pause before Naruto moved to sit beside Sasuke. "I'm sorry I was harsh with you." He began. Sasuke stared at the ground before forcing out, "I…was wrong, too. I apologize." The words were slow in coming, but sincere. "What Natsu said, it made sense. I'm sorry I hurt Subaku." Naruto shook his head. "I'm not angry with you any longer. You're forgiven."

Sasuke smiled. "Do you think your brother would teach me some fire jutsu?" The question may have seemed random, but Naruto knew Sasuke very well. It was an indirect reassurance that he would remain near to Naruto.

It was a tough question to answer. Sure, every time Sasuke and Natsu had interacted, the Jounin had seemed fine. But there was also that episode Naruto had witnessed when they were on the mission with Raidō, Hayate, Genma, and Neji. Yet, the Jounin was strong. Could this be a healing experience for Natsu? "Ask him and see. My guess is he'd be happy to help you."

Sasuke started to stand, but paused. "Is Subaku all right?" Naruto nodded. "Tsunade healed him. He'll make a full recovery." With a terse nod, Sasuke left. Naruto followed a few minutes later, deciding to check up on Gaara again.

When Naruto returned, Gaara was awake and leaning back on a mountain of pillows. With a smile at the strange sight, Naruto stepped into the room and greeted him. "Feeling okay?" he questioned, concerned.

Gaara only nodded. His eyes stared unblinking at Naruto for a few moments before he commented blandly, "Your clothes are bloody." Naruto just laughed. "It's your blood; no worries." He gave Gaara a teasing wink. "Where's Natsu?"

The redheaded Suna Genin looked away. "I was hungry." He explained, cheeks reddening slightly with embarrassment. Naruto laughed again. "Well, it seems you're in good hands then." After all, Natsu could be a bit of a mother hen sometimes. Sniffing, the blonde took in the heavenly smell of home-cooked food. "I suppose I should get washed up. Be back soon."

When he had finished, Natsu and Gaara were already eating what appeared to be stir-fry. Stepping into the room, Naruto dished up a plate for himself. He took a bite and blinked in surprise. It was delicious, something he definitely wouldn't expect from someone who had always lived alone. "This is really good." Naruto complimented Natsu. Gaara was too busy stuffing his face to agree. Natsu chuckled, the light glinting off his numerous piercings. "Thanks. Itachi taught me."

Naruto nearly choked. "Itachi? Really? Cooking doesn't seem a very Uchiha-like thing to do." Even Gaara was surprised. Every shinobi worth his (or her) salt knew of Uchiha Itachi. "This Uchiha, was he not a criminal?" The Sand Genin wanted to know.

Natsu frowned. "He did kill the Uchiha clan, but it was secretly because of the Council's orders. The only reason he was outlawed was to cover up the massacre. Itachi wasn't even angry with them. He made contact with Jiraiya of the Sannin and offered to spy on Akatsuki, since was already a missing nin."

Gaara nodded solemnly. Not a criminal, then. A hero. Naruto had warned him briefly of Akatsuki, and he knew how threatening they were to the whole of the shinobi system.

"Do you feel well enough to travel? Your siblings are probably very worried about you by this point." Naruto asked Gaara, who nodded in reply. They all finished their food and stood. "I am going to report to Hokage-sama. He always asks the Jounin's opinions about the Exam's participants. Go safely, Gaara. You are always welcome here." With a bow of farewell, Natsu left. Naruto smiled at Gaara. "Well, I'll walk you to where your siblings are staying…"

IIIII

Natsu Shunshined to the Hokage's office. The other Jounin and Tokubetsu Jounin had already arrived. The ones Asuma had introduced him to greeted him warmly. He responded politely. "Am I the last?" Asuma snorted. "Hardly. Kakashi is always the last one. He waits for everyone else to get annoyed before he shows up." Raidō joined the conversation. "That's just Kakashi's way. When it's really important, he's always on time." Kurenai sighed. "I think you'll find Kakashi's definition of important different than everyone else's."

Rumbles of agreement filled the room, and Kakashi stepped in with an eye-smile. "Maa, I was walking this way when I saw some brats playing hopscotch. The boxes weren't perfectly square so I fixed them. By the time I finished, the kids all left so then I had to play a game. Otherwise, my hard work would've been a waste."

Dead silence met the Copy Nin's ridiculous excuse before the Sandaime cleared his throat. "I've called you all here today to get your comments on the Final exams. As usual, if you were a sensei you will not be allowed to comment on any of your students' fights. I will have the final say on all Konoha promotions; foreign ninja will decide their own promotions, and you will only advise to the best of your ability. First participant, Aburame Shino. Raidō, your thoughts on Shino?"

The brown-haired man stepped forwards slightly. "As a clan, the Aburame are loyal, intelligent, and skilled. Shino shows all of these traits. I recommend he be promoted to Chuunin." He stepped back again.

Sarutobi looked over all his Jounin. "Any dissent?" None was voiced. "Good. Though we have little say in the promotions of other villages, I still like to hear your thoughts. What of Nii Yuugito? Anko?"

The purple-haired kunoichi smirked and strutted forwards. "That girl has style. She threw off elemental jutsu like nobody's business, had a great strategy, and seemed very comfortable in a leadership position. I think she'll make Chuunin."

Sarutobi looked down at his papers. "Izumi Karin. Kurenai? Your thoughts?"

The red-eyed woman frowned slightly. "To me, Karin seemed inexperienced. Although she showed great aptitude for medical jutsu, her Taijutsu was lower than the average Chuunin's would be and she had no back-up plan for when her chakra scalpels failed. I wouldn't recommend her for Chuunin."

"Karei Haku. Hayate?" The Sandaime read off the next name.

The man coughed as he began. "I think Haku-san is nearly there, but not quite. I do not think she'll make Chuunin." Kurenai disagreed. "I believe Haku is ready. She has a very special bloodline that even the most experienced shinobi would have trouble countering. She showed aptitude in both Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Elemental Ninjutsu. She also directed Karin during the match."

The Sandaime Hokage nodded. "Nara Shikamaru. Gai?"

Most in the room covered their ears. "YOSH! Nara-san is filled with the power of YOUTH! Though his flames burn dim, he is very smart. I am recommending this student for Chuunin, so that his flames shall burn ever brighter!"

No one wanted to argue with Gai so no objections were raised.

"Subaku no Temari. Kakashi?"

The Cyclops eye-smiled. "The Sand girl? She's very scary. She'll be Chuunin." He then went back to his Icha Icha.

Many in the room sweat-dropped, but the kunoichi had proven herself so he wasn't exactly wrong. "Yamanaka Ino. Asuma, your thoughts?"

The smoking Jounin shook his head. "She's not ready. All her skills are still lower than a Chuunin's would need to be, and she's immature. Much improved from the Academy, but still not ready." Murmurs of agreement followed Asuma's comments.

Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe. "Hyuuga Hinata. Ebisu?"

The Elite Jounin pushed his glasses up his nose. "The girl is too timid. With her shyness, she is not ready to lead a squad. I do not recommend her for Chuunin."

Again, no objections were raised. Hiruzen brought up the next name. "Hyuuga Neji. Genma?" The proctor didn't bother to move. "That Hyuuga needs to loosen up. I'm fairly sure his skills are Chuunin level, but I am unsure if he will be a good squad leader. I am undecided on this one." Ibiki shrugged. "Even if you think he is uptight, that is a good thing in this situation. It means he does not like to fail or be embarrassed, and that will ensure he leads a squad well. I think he's ready." A few others expressed their agreement or disagreement. Clearly it was a mixed opinion.

"Duly noted. Uchiha Sasuke. Natsu?" Hiruzen Sarutobi gave the youngest Jounin a sly smile.

Many were surprised that the newest Jounin would be asked to speak up when there were so many others. Those who had been on the joint mission with Mist were not surprised, however. They knew Natsu was very skilled. Ibiki, also, was not surprised. He had already connected the masked Ghost to Natsu; the red hair was unmistakable.

The violet-eyed man moved forwards slightly, so as to be visible. "Sasuke started off well, but he quickly lost control of his temper. He went for the killing blow when he was ordered not to. Such careless disregard for orders shows that he is not ready to give orders." There was an out roar as many protested Natsu's words. The Hokage held up a hand, silencing the room. "Let him finish."

Natsu smiled gratefully. He was very nervous standing in front of all these Jounin, most of whom had agreed to his banishment. "Sasuke had no regard for his teammate Hyuuga Neji and tried to do everything on his own. Without a little humility, I do not recommend he receives the rank of Chuunin."

As soon as he was finished, protests began anew. Kakashi was the loudest; he had somehow managed to teach Sasuke an A-rank technique, after all. Clearly he favored the Uchiha boy, even above his own students.

Sarutobi quieted them all again. "I will keep your arguments in mind. Sabaku no Gaara. Shima?" A female Aburame clan member stepped forwards. "The Sand boy was very skilled for his age. He relies too much on his sand, though. Any decent fire or water user could take him down. I don't think he's ready to be Chuunin."

Natsu knew that Gaara would advance quickly through the ranks regardless. The Hokage smiled at the Aburame. "Uzumaki Naruto. Haru?"

Natsu had to admit, he felt apprehensive when Haru turned out to be a Hyuuga. Haru stepped forwards and bowed. "Hokage-sama. I believe, out of all the candidates here, Uzumaki-san is the most prepared to become Chuunin. Uzumaki-san displayed a wide skill set. His Taijutsu was very impressive, he had a good grasp of tactics, he knew and correctly utilized Kage Bunshin, a kinjutsu some Jounins don't even have the chakra capacity for, he countered the Jyuuken, something that has never been done before, and, finally, he protected his injured teammate and wont a two-on-one match in order to get his teammate medical attention as soon as possible. Most Jounin couldn't boast of these things, let alone a Genin. I recommend he be promoted to Chuunin."

Protests began as Haru bowed and moved back to his previous position. Natsu smiled at Haru, who returned the smile. It was good to know some Jounin out there were rooting for Naruto, even if Natsu couldn't remember seeing Haru during his life in Konoha.

The Hokage listened to the complains relating to Naruto's use of the Kyuubi's chakra. Finally he grew tired and spoke. "I have heard your advisements. You are all dismissed. By tomorrow, Konoha's promotions will be announced. As the Kage has the final say in each village's promotions, we will not know of the other village's promotions for a day or two. Instructors, please congratulate your students on a job well-done. I will speak to all of Konoha's Finals participants tomorrow. Dismissed."

All of the Jounin eventually left, some slower than others. Natsu caught Haru's eye and moved towards the Hyuuga, wanting to speak with him. "Thank you for being impartial towards my brother." He bowed in gratitude. Haru chuckled. "I can see a slight resemblance, but I am very sure you aren't brothers by blood." It was a veiled question, so Natsu responded in kind. "A distant cousin of his mother, nothing more."

Haru brightened. "A relative of Kushina-chan! Now that I know, I do see the resemblance. I was unaware that any others from Whirlpool survived!" Natsu smiled. "The Uzari clan is a subsidiary clan to the Uzumakis. Not many did survive from either clan, but there are a scattered few. It is good to know that we are not forgotten." Natsu was not lying. He had done some research on the Uzumaki clan and Whirlpool Village, and the Uzaris were a clan from that village. He just wasn't truly one of them.

Haru nodded. "That is most excellent news. Like your relatives, are you also skilled with Fūinjutsu?" Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd like to think so, but I am nowhere near their level of mastery." Haru could tell genuine modesty when he saw it. "I am sure you are very skilled." He lowered his voice. "I have heard rumors from Hokage-sama that you will be starting a new ANBU squad. I would be happy to help. If you decide to make you squad regulation-size, I'd be happy to join."

Natsu nodded. "Hyuuga's are very handy team members. Depending on whether we end up as a full squad or not, I may take you up on your offer." With a wave, Natsu started to leave when Asuma flagged him down. "The Hokage wants to speak with you."

Natsu was unsure what this was about, which made him nervous. When he stepped into the Sandaime's office, the old Sarutobi greeted him warmly. "Natsu. I want to talk to you about your ANBU squad."

The redhead blinked in surprised. "I thought we needed Naruto to be Chuunin to even consider becoming ANBU? As far as I know, ANBU has never taken Genin recruits." Hiruzen chuckled. "Don't tell the Council this, my boy, but I have already decided which Genin will become Chuunin. Letting the Council have their say is only a formality. The good shinobi, such as the Clan Heads, will agree with my Jounin. The rest are irrelevant."

Natsu just nodded, dumbfounded. He'd always gotten the impression that the Council had more political power. "Okay. What are your suggestions, then?" The Hokage steepled his fingers and leaned forwards. "I will line out your options and then give my recommendations. The newest Chuunin of Konoha are Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru, and Uzumaki Naruto."

Natsu beamed with pride. Sarutobi allowed him a moment before continuing, "You have already requested Naruto and Naruko on your squad. You three are all heavy-hitters, really, though I suppose Naruko is considered infiltration and you really could be anything you so desired. The member or members you choose will most likely decide your squad's specialization. I would suggest you make it a full squad of seven. You have three. You can take one more of the newest Chuunin. I will also give you the files of the current ANBU who are not on a permanent team, or who want to be reassigned. You can discuss this with Naruko if you wish, or you can just decide your squad members now. I would recommend a scout, a reconnaissance specialist of some sort, and a weapons user. It would be best to have at least two other Jounin active on your squad." A quirky smile crossed the old man's face. "If all goes well, perhaps I will eventually make you a Jounin sensei as well."

Natsu protested immediately. "What kind of reward is that, you geezer?" For a moment, Hiruzen could see a glimpse of the child Natsu had been; an eerie echo of Naruto. But just as quickly as it had come, it faded away. Natsu spoke. "I will have to look over the files, but I know I want Aburame Shino and Hyuuga Haru." Sarutobi smiled. "Excellent choices, the both of them. I always thought young Shino would end up in ANBU. He is growing into an excellent recon specialist. With a little more training, he will be exactly what you need him to be. A Hyuuga is always helpful. I will let you think upon the other two members. Report to me as soon as you have decided. If you have trouble, I'm sure Haru will have some excellent suggestions." Sarutobi's eyes twinkled as he took a puff of his pipe.

Natsu bowed. "Yes, Hokage-sama." He returned to the apartment. Naruto was inside. Natsu spoke to him before he could ask about the meeting. The Sandaime had specifically said to discuss the ANBU team with Naruko, not Naruto. He was not allowed to let Naruto know of his promotion just yet. "Did you see Gaara off?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. He seemed relieved to be going home." Natsu agreed. "I don't blame him. Suna and Konoha are two very different places, and Suna has a lot of internal affairs to take care of now that the Kazekage is dead."

Naruto was clearly dying to ask about the meeting, but restrained himself. "What do you plan to do this evening?" he asked instead. Natsu chuckled at the weak attempt at fishing for information. "You know I can't tell you that, otouto." He disappeared into the bedroom and came back out wearing a fresh shirt. "Did you thank baa-chan?" It was what he'd always called Tsunade before, but to call her that now would seem strange considering Natsu would be looked at as an adult. To call her baa-chan to her face would be considered rude.

Naruto nodded. "Yes. She went back and forth to check up on the hospital patients and the Sandaime all day long, so she looked very tired."

Natsu grabbed his weapons pouch and prepared to leave again. "I'll make sure to check up on her tomorrow. It wouldn't be smart for our best medic to run herself ragged." He quickly left the room and knocked on the girls' apartment door. Narue answered, and beamed. "Natsu-niisan!" she greeted. Natsu smiled kindly. "Hi, imouto. Is Naruko in? I have some things to discuss with her." Narue nodded. "I'll send her out!" She closed the door. A few moments later, Naruko emerged. "I figured it was you. How is Naruto doing?"

Natsu shrugged. "Fine, as far as I know. He and Sasuke had a little talk, and it seemed to go just fine. But I didn't come here about that." He held up the files. "Squad selections. I've filled all but two spots. I figured it would be best to talk somewhere eavesdropping ears can't overhear." He cut his eyes towards their apartment, where Naruto was no doubt listening.

Naruko chuckled. "All right. Where are we going, then?"

Natsu grinned at her. "Itachi told me about a place. It's sort of an ANBU-only hang out. I'm hoping to find a squad member there to ask for advice. It would save me some reading." He glared balefully at the thick stack of files he was carrying.

Naruko clapped once. "I know the place! This should be fun. But, technically, neither of us are ANBU yet. How do you plan to get in?"

Natsu flashed a few ANBU hand signs. "Itachi was always very rounded in his teachings."

Naruko _ahh_ed. "You probably know as much about Konoha's inner workings as the ANBU commanders, then. Itachi was always very high up in the ANBU." They arrived at the ANBU "hang out," which was, in fact, a bar. No surprise there.

They were stopped by the bouncer, who was clearly lower-level ANBU. A quick "move out of my way _threaten_" was all it took to get inside the bar. Once inside, they took a seat and waited for the Hyuuga to show.


	29. Chapter 28: Forming a New Squad

{{ Take my hand tonight  
>Let's not think about tomorrow<br>Take my hand tonight  
>We could find some place to go<br>Cause our hearts are locked forever  
>And our love will never die<br>Take my hand tonight  
>One last time<p>

~Take My Hand by Simple Plan }}

**Chapter 28: Forming a Squad**

When Haru finally came into the bar, he moved towards their private table. Natsu quickly introduced his companion. "Naruko, this is Hyuuga Haru, fellow squad member. Haru, this is Naruto's relative from his father's side of the family, Nijo Naruko." Naruko nodded. "Hullo. A Hyuuga, huh?"

Haru nodded back. "Not in the sense that you're thinking of." He snickered. Naruko's mouth dropped open. "You found a cool Hyuuga? You're the best, Natsu!" Both Natsu and Haru laughed at that. "I'm glad you're pleased. I've also selected Aburame Shino. That leaves two spots open. I'm not too familiar with the ANBU members, so I've come to you for advice, Haru."

The Hyuuga looked pleased. "From your current members, I'm going to assume you don't really have a specialty in mind. A captain who is good with Fūinjutsu pretty much guarantees we'll be useful everywhere. Am I right?"

Natsu shrugged. "Hokage-sama only suggested a scout type, a recon specialist, and a weapons user. He also recommended having some other Jounin along. He said nothing about our specialty."

Haru rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I bet he's angling for a salvage squad. That fits with what he has said." Naruko frowned. "I've never even heard of that. What's a salvage squad?"

Haru tapped his glass. "It is not an official name or anything, just a nickname of sorts. A salvage squad is very rare nowadays because shinobi proficient in Fūinjutsu are rare because Whirlpool was wiped out. An old-time salvage squad was the go-to team. Rescue missions, touchy diplomatic situations, black ops, infiltration…anything the Hokage needed done quietly and in a hurry, the salvage squads did it all. Members were usually a Fūinjutsu master and his apprentice, a seduction type, weapons, scout, and recon. Sometimes instead of recon or scout other specialists were rotated in, such as Taijutsu or people with special kekkei genkai. The last member was different on every squad: a little extra punch, unique each time. That the Hokage left the decisions up to you speaks well of you, Natsu. I can suggest a weapons user who is a Jounin, but the last member I'm not sure about. Perhaps if we go over the files, someone will stand out."

Natsu was honestly surprised. Itachi had talked quite a bit about salvage squads, comparatively to how much he normally talked, anyways. Itachi had wished to be in such a squad, but seal masters were extremely rare and Jiraiya and Minato had been the only ones in his time. Neither had ever been very interested in ANBU. Now, Natsu was to be the captain of such a legendary squad? It was very daunting, and he felt as if his Fūinjutsu skills may not be up to par.

Haru continued, "The weapons specialist I'm thinking about is Midorin Taya. She's somewhat of a problem; she's received several suspensions for disobeying her commander's direct orders. Because of that, she's been rotated through about six different squads and none of them were a good fit for her. Normally, I wouldn't even consider bringing someone into my squad who has a history of insubordination. In her case, though, I agree with every decision she made. It doesn't hurt that she's the best I've ever seen with a blade. Once you earn her respect she'll follow you to the death."

Natsu looked intrigued. "Does she come from a civilian family?" Haru shook his head. "No. She's actually from a family of samurai. She was disowned for becoming a kunoichi against her parent's wishes." Natsu flipped through the files until he came to hers, and quickly looked over her stats.

Naruko read them over his shoulder. "We'll take her!" the blonde girl chirped. Natsu nodded his agreement. "She looks like a perfect fit." He pulled her file from the stack and set it aside. He then divided the stack into three separate piles. "Take a look for our last member."

Haru made his way through one stack about three times as fast as either of the other two. "None of these." He declared.

Naruko was about- two-thirds of the way through her own stack. "There are possibilities here, but I think we can do better." She finished the stack and looked to Natsu, who was closely examining a file. "Found one?" she questioned.

Natsu handed the rest of the stack to Haru to check over and gave Naruko the single file. "What do you think?"

Naruko had always preferred to work with kunoichi, but even she had to admit this guy would be great. Hayashi Shen was described as having a prickly personality, but that didn't bother Naruko. Most ANBU weren't exactly the most social people around. Shen was also a combat medic, a complete rarity. He was probably wanted by all the current squads, but it said in the file that he had declined all permanent positions. Naruko knew the feeling; unless you fit in a squad, you didn't want to be permanently assigned there. Looking a little closer, she saw that his offensive style was gas warfare, something else that was extremely rare in Konoha. "He's perfect." She agreed, beaming brightly. She handed Haru the file and after a quick glance he nodded.

"Don't know why I didn't think of him sooner. He really is a great fit, and a Jounin, too. I have to say, we might have a shot at a really great team here. Have you thought of a squad name?" Haru wanted to know.

Natsu smirked, his piercings glinting in the dim bar light. "The Hokage and I agreed on Havoc Squad."

Both Naruko and Haru laughed. "I like it." the Hyuuga commented. Naruko went a step further. "I love it! What about the masks?" Natsu shrugged. "Are you attached to your current mask, Haru?"

The Hyuuga shrugged. "I like it fine, but I'm definitely open to a change as well." Natsu shrugged also. "It's up to you. I was thinking we'd all wear non-animal masks, since we'll be very different from the rest of the ANBU squads. I also decided to make our own insignia."

Haru pulled a napkin over and said, "Show me." Natsu withdrew a jar of ink and a brush from his weapons pouch and sketched a quick design. It was a simple black flame, vaguely reminiscent of Amaterasu. It was also a design he and Itachi had favored.

Haru considered it. "It's very simple, but memorable nonetheless. How would you use it on the masks?"

Natsu paused. "Have either of you heard of the Aieloch language?" Both Naruko and Haru shook their heads in the negative. "The Aielochs were the original creators of Fūinjutsu. The first seals were very primitive and had nothing to do with chakra. They used spiritual energy alone, and called it chi. Their seals were made more for defense than anything else: what they created was, simply put, the first barrier seal. To make these seals, they devised their own coded language. This language used symbols and pictures to convey emotions and feelings. It's a difficult language to learn and translate because it's not really words. A symbol might mean several different things depending on the context. " He sketched a symbol that vaguely resembled the Uzumaki clan crest. "This symbol roughly translates as 'those who protect the peace.' We later modified it in Whirlpool to be the village symbol, and now Konoha shinobi wear it on their uniforms to remember Uzushiogakure's sacrifice." He drew another picture, a coiled serpent. "This meant danger, keep out, poison, or enemy depending on the way it was used."

Pushing the drawing aside and pausing to take a sip of his drink, Natsu began again. "I was thinking I could give each person their own Aieloch symbol, and take codenames from that. The Aieloch symbol would go on the mask, along with the Havoc insignia."

Naruko was amazed. "You are the best relative ever." She decided. Haru was also suitably impressed. "It's pretty cool." He agreed. "Do we get to pick our symbol, or will you give us one?"

Natsu snorted. "Since I don't want to teach you the entire language, I'll choose a few for you, and you can pick one out of those options." He used a small flare of Katon-natured chakra to ignite the napkin.

"Paranoid." Naruko coughed. Natsu just shrugged. "Yes." He agreed, standing. "I am." Turning to Haru, he began, "Would you inform Midorin and Hayashi that they've been selected for a new squad? We'll meet here tomorrow at noon. I will inform Hokage-sama of our decisions, and make sure that he approves before we make everything official. Hopefully, everything will proceed smoothly." He glanced out the nearest window. "Dark already? Haru, would you mind walking Naruko home?"

The kunoichi gave Natsu a withering look. "I can take care of myself." Natsu just laughed. "I know, Naruko. It's just common courtesy. Call me old fashioned, but Haru has to walk the same way anyways." The redheaded Jounin looked expectantly at the Hyuuga, waiting for an answer.

Haru nodded. "Yes sir." Natsu blinked, a little surprised at the sudden respectful deference from someone older than him, before nodding back and going on his way.

IIIII

Naruto woke very early and found himself unable to sleep. Because Natsu has disappeared for so long last night, he knew something was up. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell if it was good news or bad news. Though he tried to fool you into thinking otherwise, Natsu had an excellent poker face.

Naruto glanced at the clock. He still had some time before he met Ino, Lee, and Gai for training. Stretching and sitting up, Naruto dressed in shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, deciding to go for an early-morning run.

After a long run, he ate a quick breakfast, and then arrived to train with his usual group. To Naruto's surprise, Sasuke was there also. The Uchiha greeted Naruto, seeming a little tense. Probably something to do with Lee and Gai's rantings and ravings.

After that session, Naruto decided to train with his team. It was almost positive that this would be their last training as a team. It was very possible, considering that all three of their team had made the finals, that at least one of them would be promoted. Even if none of them were promoted, Naruto still intended to form a team with Naruko and Natsu.

They only stopped the session when they received a summons to the Hokage Tower. They all decided to go separately. After following the letter's instructions, Naruto found himself in a room with three other Konoha Genin. Genma was standing behind a desk. "Good, Naruto's here. Okay! Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru, and Uzumaki Naruto, you are hereby awarded the rank of Chuunin for your achievements in the Chuunin Selection Exams. Congratulations." He paused to allow them a moment of celebration, but all four recipients were rather quiet people by nature.

"Yay." Shikamaru deadpanned, breaking the silence. There was a pregnant pause before snickers erupted from Genma, Naruto, and Shikamaru himself. While Shino wasn't making any sound, his shoulders were shaking slightly. Even Neji was chuckling softly.

After catching his breath, Genma finally managed to get out, "Funny. You all planned that, didn't you?" Heads shook all around. "I don't believe you. Anyways, I have your vests here. Hokage-sama is speaking to the Exam participants who didn't make Chuunin, but he should be here shortly." Genma passed out the vests. "I'm leaving now. Congrats again, you four." With a jaunty wave he left the room.

The four new Chuunin sat down in the various chairs scattered across the room, unsure how long they'd be waiting. "I'm a little sad to leave my team behind." Shikamaru commented.

Neji snorted. "I think I have much to be grateful for." He commented vaguely, but they all understood and shuddered. None wanted Gai as their sensei, Taijutsu master or no.

"It is just as I expected. Why? Because the Chuunin candidates were obvious." Shino pushed his glasses up slightly.

Naruto smiled at the bug user before turning to Neji. "To be honest, Neji, I wasn't sure about you. I thought Sasuke might have ruined your chances because of his reckless behavior." Shikamaru grunted in agreement. Their conversation was cut short as the Hokage came in. Immediately the four new Chuunin shot to their feet.

Sarutobi looked amused. "Sit, sit. I just wanted to congratulate you all for a marvelous showing during the Exams. As Konoha's newest Chuunin, you will now have more responsibilities along with the privileges bestowed by your new rank. You can now take B-rank missions with other Chuunin, and assemble your own teams for C-ranks. You are also required to give some of your time to the Hall of Records, the shinobi library, or the Academy. An alternative option to these three choices are the special opportunities that arise every so often. You can speak to me about these later." He paused to make sure they all understood. "I will give you a few days to decide which one you would like to choose. Make sure you take the decision seriously; you won't be able to change it later if you don't like it. You will also begin to submit regular reports to me personally." He rifled through the papers on his desk and withdrew a stack. "These are the 'special opportunity' projects I told you about. Keep in mind that choosing one of these is a shorter term commitment, but when you are done with your first choice the next open opportunity will be one that you are required to take. If any of you wants the same special option, whoever wins a friendly spar will get it. Fair?"

The four Chuunin nodded. The Hokage smiled warmly. "Excellent. Shino and Naruto, stay behind a moment. Shikamaru and Neji, you two are dismissed. Celebrate with your families, and, again, congratulations." The Nara and Hyuuga both bowed before leaving, a little curious as to why two of the four new Chuunin were staying behind, but no one questioned the Hokage.

Hiruzen beamed at the two remaining Chuunin. "You two have been selected to join an ANBU squad. Well done." Shino stiffened, clearly shocked. Naruto wanted to pat his back reassuringly but didn't want to squish any Kikaichuu. Shino would be most upset if he did.

"You will be on the same squad. This squad was just created yesterday, but it has some veteran ANBU members. You will have to work very hard to succeed, but I believe you can do it. You were selected for a reason. Your squad's captain has agreed to meet with you, and he will explain the process. After that you will meet the rest of your team members. Because you are now ANBU, you will have a little more leeway when it comes to your typical Chuunin duties than Shikamaru and Neji do. However, I still expect you to pick a service area, even if your required hours will be reduced. Understood?" When the Chuunin nodded, the Sandaime looked relieved. "Natsu?"

The Jounin suddenly blurred into view. He smiled warmly at Shino. "Hello, my name is Uzari Natsu and I am the captain of the newly formed Havoc Squad. Naruto and I know each other well, but we have not met, Shino-kun. Please do not be afraid to ask any questions you might have. Also, our team will be very informal, so please just call me 'Natsu' or 'Captain.'" Shino nodded silently, clearly still a little stunned at the unexpected honor.

"Sorry to say, boys, but you may not tell anyone outside of ANBU about anything that goes on with Havoc Squad. If someone asks where you disappear to, tell them that you were assigned to a Chuunin squad. If need be, I can round up some Chuunin to pose as team members. Please remember that if you have any misgivings or need any assistance, my doors are always open to my ninja. Knowing that, you are dismissed. Please go with Natsu to meet the rest of your team."

IIIII

When they had all gathered in the bar, Natsu began. He introduced himself informally again for Shen and Taya. He also explained that their team would have a month-long trial session before they became an official team with their own masks and codenames. This was to make sure that all the members were compatible, and in part to get the Chuunin recruits who had never participated in ANBU before up to speed.

Throughout the course of the meeting, Naruto and Shino seemed a little intimidated. Haru was extra friendly to try to make them feel more comfortable. Natsu began to speak again, "As some of you have no doubt heard, we were created as the first experimental salvage team in about two decades." He quickly explained to Naruto and Shino what a salvage squad was before continuing, "During this first month, we will train, live, and work as a team. We will not always be together, but we will spend a great deal of time around each other. You're grown shinobi; if there is a problem bring it to me or Hokage-sama. If you have any questions, ask me later. For now, please introduce yourselves and tell the group your fighting style. I'll go first." He leaned back in his chair. "You've all learned my name already. I specialize in Katon jutsu and Fūinjutsu. I am also very proficient in Genjutsu. My rank is Jounin, but off the record I am considered one of the Hokage's Ghosts."

Haru leaned over to explain to Naruto and Shino. "A Ghost is an unofficial and therefore untraceable agent of the Hokage. A Ghost carries out the Hokage's orders without question. Usually there are two to four in Konoha at any given time." He looked to Natsu to make sure that the redhead was done speaking before he began. "My name is Hyuuga Haru. I specialize in Jyuuken, of course, but unlike the rest of my clan I also utilize other techniques. My secondary specializations are stealth and speed, and my elemental affinity is water. My rank is also Jounin."

Taya was next. Tossing her long black ponytail over her shoulders, she began, "Midorin Taya. I specialize in kenjutsu and weapons. My rank is Jounin." She kept it short at to the point.

Shen scowled, dark eyes glittering stubbornly. "I am Hayashi Shen, a combat medic with a specialization in gases. I am a Jounin."

Naruko piped up next. "Nijo Naruko, seductress and Tessenjutsu user at your service. My rank is Chuunin."

Naruto cleared his throat a little nervously. "Uzumaki Naruto, Chuunin. I don't really have much of a specialization yet and my elemental affinity is wind."

Shino pushed his glasses up. "My name is Aburame Shino and I specialize in my clan's Kikaichuu jutsu and reconnaissance. I am also a Chuunin."

Natsu stood. "I will ask you to prepare a short demonstration of your abilities, just so we can sort of get a feel for each other's skill set. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Also, Naruto and Shino are exempt. We saw your performance in the Chuunin Exams, after all. If you can't think of something to do, don't worry about it. Everyone here is a vital team member, but it's easier to respect skill than rank. That is why I will go first again. Grab any gear you might need and meet me at the ANBU training ground in a few minutes. Shino and Naruto, you can follow me since you've never been there before. I will warn you, it is more than likely that we will have an audience. Hokage-sama seems most eager to get this squad off the ground."

The team members dispersed in all different directions, and a few minutes later arrived to see Natsu warming up and Naruto and Shino looking on. All but Naruto, who had seen Natsu's combat style in their joint mission with Mist, were amazed at their captain's fluid but brutal Taijutsu style. It was unique, and something none of them had seen before. In fact, it was almost like a deadly but beautiful dance. They could all immediately tell when the warm up ended and the real demonstration began. Natsu's speed changed dramatically, and suddenly fiery chakra coated his arms. With every hard punch a fireball was propelled forwards. Then, suddenly, a seal was burned into the ground and the entire area was enveloped in a circle of fire. The heat was so intense that those watching took several steps back.

Natsu threw a final punch that crumbled a tree like aluminum foil before stopping. Not a drop of sweat glistened on his brow. With a brilliant smile, he walked towards them. He was proud of his skills, yes. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing as long as he made sure that overconfidence didn't lead to his downfall. Truthfully, though, he was always trying to improve himself. "Haru?"

The Hyuuga sauntered out with a rueful smile. "How am I supposed to follow that?" he groused good-naturedly. Dropping into the Jyuuken stance, he began katas slowly and gradually increased his speed. The air around the Hyuuga rippled with chakra as he continued in the Jyuuken style. Finally, he began throwing out water jutsu. Water whips, water whirlwinds, water walls, and water prisons…he did them all. When he stopped, the scorched ground was now very swampy. Next he performed a few stealth jutsu, and then bowed. "That's all I've got for now."

Natsu nodded. "Thanks. Anyone else?"

Taya drew her katana. "I'll go." She moved to the steel-reinforced wooden posts. After some warm up katas, she preceded the slice the posts into tiny bits. After that she threw some small daggers and shuriken with one hundred percent accuracy. As a closing, she pulled some explosive tags out and detonated them in a tricky pattern designed to ensnare more skilled enemies.

"Anyone else?" Natsu looked to Shen curiously. The medic shook his head ruefully. "I can't really showcase my skills unless you want someone dead, or someone close to dead revived. Sorry, Captain." Natsu shrugged. "I understand. We'll have plenty of time to see your fighting style eventually."

Naruko stepped forwards and lifted her war fans, which were quite a bit smaller than Temari's, from her back. She then began what was obviously a seductive dance. Out of the corner of his eye, Natsu saw both Naruto and Shino look away and he reminded himself to get them some seduction resistance training, as Konan had arranged for him to have so very long ago. He also noted with amusement that while any male would be interested in such a suggestive dance, Shen was absolutely mesmerized. Not even by the dance, really. Just Naruko doing the dance. Naruko noticed, too, but didn't want to embarrass Shen by pointing it out in any way.

The dance ended fairly soon, and Naruko launched right into an intense kata with her fans. Wind jutsu spun from the fan's blades as she twirled. Again, she was a beautiful sight. She finished and sealed the fans away with a bow. Taya gave her a small smile. "Impressive." She admitted. "Why are you still a Chuunin?"

Naruko could grow to like this girl; she did the "straight-to-the-point" thing as well. She shrugged. "I've mainly done ANBU missions. I just never took the time to do anything particularly heroic or take the Exams, so a promotion never seemed like such a big deal to me. Besides, I was too busy…training." The little pause and her sultry smirk left little to the imagination when it came to _that_ training.

Natsu observed the group dynamics along with the demonstrations. Taya and Naruko seemed to get along quite well. Naruto and Shino also seemed to stick together, probably because of their newbie status. Haru seemed to get along well with everyone, and though Shen seemed distant, he was not really hostile. Anyone who spent ten minutes around the medic could tell he was a tsundere; the kind of person who acted rough and seemed to hate it when others initiated physical contact and conversation. True, the outside was prickly. But hidden within that layer of shielding was a person who was extremely fun to tease. Shen was the kind of person who would protest familiarity every step of the way but secretly enjoy it.

He chuckled every time he remembered that Shen was a medic. The profession suited him; even though skilled male medic nin were extremely rare as they lacked the precise chakra control most females had innately, male medics also tended to survive longer than female medics because they often learned more offensive skills in addition to their medical jutsu.

After a quick lunch, they all helped each other move into their new rooms at the ANBU headquarters. Although Haru, Shen, and Taya had been living their previously, they now had rooms as a unit. Therefore everyone ended up moving their things into new rooms. Natsu decided rather easily who would room together; there were two rooms of two and one room of three. Obviously, the girls would get their own room. After that Shino and Naruto would be together; as the youngest and most unfamiliar with ANBU, it would be best to give them their space from the veterans as well as keep them together. That left Natsu, Shen, and Haru in the last room. To Natsu's relief, there were no protests.

By the end of the day, Natsu was already mentally putting Aieloch symbols to each team member. Naruto's choices would be _one-who-is-young-but-lives-old_, _maelstrom,_ or _strength of character._ Shino would no doubt be _loyal-in-spirit-blood-and-bone_, but he could also possibly be _caretaker_ and _works without tiring._ Taya could be _mistress of the blade, eye-of-hawk, or one-who-follows-the-heart. _Shen's possibilities were _shielded self, gentle soul, or fierce guardian of life._ Haru might be _light-in-darkness, guiding hand, _or _quickly-flowing-water._ Naruko's were probably the easiest: _midnight_ _dancer, one who is full of grace, _or_ golden enchantress. _

And he himself…_fading flame._ He might fudge the meaning a little bit to the rest of his squad mates, if only to keep them from being concerned. He could guess which symbols the squad would pick, if only based on the code names. That would make Naruto _Maelstrom, _Shino _Spirit_, Taya _Blade_ _Mistress _or _Hawkeye_, Shen _Guardian_ or _Soul_, Haru _Guide _or _Light, _Naruko _Midnight Dancer_ or even just _Dancer. _And he would be simply _Flame._ The codenames didn't really go together in any way, but they were called Havoc Squad after all. It made little difference to Natsu whether or not the codenames went together, as long as the team _worked_ together.

After they were all moved in and the minor details were worked out, Natsu informed them they were meeting at the training ground early in the morning. Receiving nods all around, he dismissed the squad for dinner. One by one the squad mates went in their separate directions, until Natsu was left standing with Naruko. He caught Naruko's eye. "We need to do something about Narue; we can't let her live alone. I think it would be best if she went to stay with Iruka."

Naruko sighed and nodded. "It feels a little like we're leaving her behind, but she isn't suited as a kunoichi. Yes, you're right. I will talk to the old man about it tomorrow night, and discuss it with Narue. I assume we'll stop paying rent on the apartments now? No sense in wasting money when we're living somewhere else."

Natsu nodded. "That was my plan. Thanks for taking care of this." He clapped Naruko on the shoulder before dashing after Naruto. "See you later!" He called back.

Naruko chuckled to herself before following at a more sedate pace. It hadn't been much time since she had been pulled here, but she was beginning to feel like this place was more of a home than her own world. After all, she had a family now. Even though she was still sad about leaving her old friends behind, it was nice to have a fresh start. Friends could be remade, but there was no replacing family.

IIIII

The next morning, Havoc Squad met bright and early at the training ground as planned. Natsu took in the varying degrees of alertness with a practiced eye. Shino and Naruto were noticeably less awake, but that could be fixed with time. Naruko, Taya, and Haru bore the early hour with a degree of professionalism that was typical of ANBU, but it was clear that they didn't enjoy being up early. Shen, on the other hand, was wide awake in a way that wasn't typical of anyone but a true morning person. It was good to know that _someone_ other than himself would be at their best on any early morning missions.

Stepping forward, he addressed the team, "Good morning. I am glad to see that you all made it on time. Today we'll be doing some rotational training." Turning towards the two newest Chuunin, he explained, "Rotational training is something that upper-level teams do in order to develop smaller skills and specialties. It allows team members to share expertise, and younger members to develop their skills more rapidly." Shino and Naruto nodded their understanding, and Natsu continued, "The training matrix will go like this for four hours: Naruko and Taya, Haru and Shino, and then Naruto and Shen with me. If you have any questions, I'll be nearby."

Everyone split into their respective groups and moved a distance away from each other. Natsu began with a question, "Shen, what is your elemental affinity?"

The medic looked up from his contemplation of the ground. "Fire." He answered simply.

Natsu smiled slightly. "I am the same; if you ever are in need of any elemental techniques or training, feel free to ask. I am probably one of the most proficient in Katon jutsu in our village, and a combination of fire and gases can often be deadly." Turning to Naruto, he added, "Your wind techniques will also be useful for both of us, so today I am going to focus on strengthening both of your elemental ninjutsu inventories. Does that sound fine?" When he received two nods in return, he continued, "Naruto, please work on Fuuton: Verdant Mountain's Violent Wind." He tossed the younger blonde a scroll. "If you have questions, I'll be here. Shen, this is the scroll for Katon: Exploding Flame Shot. The same goes for you."

After he finished speaking the redhead moved about twenty feet and sank down into a cross-legged sitting position, closing his eyes. Chakra began to gather around him as he meditated. Across the field, he could sense Naruko and Taya going at it: war fans vs. katana. A little farther away, Haru appeared to be showing Shino some tracking jutsu. The weather was beautiful outside, and all in all it was the perfect first training day you could ask for. However, Natsu still felt a deep uneasiness that he couldn't explain. Orochimaru was dead, Akatsuki wouldn't make their move for years, and the Kyuubi's plans to use Naruto were foiled…so what could possibly be wrong?

Nearly an hour passed just like that, and the answer wouldn't come to him. It seemed he would be plagued by the thought for a few days, because he couldn't relax until he figured out what was wrong. If something were to happen….He didn't even know what he would do. His sole purpose in being here was to prevent everything that had happened to him from taking place again, but he also didn't want to bring about a worse future by interfering. It was all a game of balancing the scales, and hoping that things would turn out for the better, and the waiting game was killing him. If there was one thing he hated more than anything else in the world, it was the feeling of helplessness; ever since the day he had brought Sasuke back, it had dominated his entire existence.

He took a moment to consider the possibility that perhaps the problem he felt looming was something to do with Sasuke before dismissing it. He had seen the evidence of change in the younger Uchiha's life, and he couldn't deny that this Sasuke was nothing like the avenger that he was accustomed to. Could it be that Orochimaru was still alive? He dismissed that thought as well; he had burned the body himself, and make doubly sure that all was consumed in the flame. Kabuto had also been swiftly dispatched, so there was no chance of him somehow bringing Orochimaru back. Of course he still felt a sense of unease about Akatsuki, but that was not what this ominous feeling was coming from.

Growling under his breath in frustration, he shook himself away from his meditation and gave up for the time being. It was serving no purpose other than to frustrate him in his uselessness, and he could channel this disgruntled energy into something more productive. Reaching back to his belt, he pulled out a scroll he had been working on for a while. Unravelling it, he regarded the large seal array with concentrated focus, trying to keep his foreboding thoughts away.

By the end of the afternoon, training had progressed nicely for everyone. Rising to his feet, Natsu called the team in. "Take a lunch break; thanks for your hard work. Hokage-sama wants to see us at four, but other than that, we're done for the day. Take a rest; you all deserve it." He dipped his head in thanks before turning away.

Naruko watched him go with a concerned frown. He should be happy now; captain of a new elite ANBU squad, most of the tough enemies taken down. So what was wrong? She shared a glance with Naruto, who had noticed as well. They both shrugged. After saying her goodbyes, Naruko moved to follow Natsu, before she was stopped by Naruto. The blonde spoke quietly, in order to avoid the others hearing, "I think you should give him some space. I don't think he is allowing himself to be at peace. He is so used to being on edge, when he has no one to protect he feels uneasy. This is something that he needs to work through himself."

Naruko thought about this for a minute. "I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think that's exactly what the problem is. Natsu isn't exactly a drama queen; I don't think he would be that worried just because he doesn't know what to do with himself. I think something is wrong here, that we're missing something."

Naruto frowned. "Think about it. Everything you two told me, we've taken care of. We still have plenty of time to come up with a counter for Akatsuki. He is even the new leader of a soon-to-be elite ANBU squad. There is nothing that we missed...there can't be."

Naruko shrugged. "That's what I think, too. But Natsu, out of the three of us, is the only Jounin. He has the most experience in fighting, and the most experience in strategy. He has been in wartime longer than I have, and he is older than us. His mind and power rivals a Hokage's. Naruto, I am not saying that something is wrong, I am just saying that I trust his instincts more than mine. I may have never gained the rank of Jounin, but I was an excellent Chuunin. I know that, even though it is important to listen and support your leader's decisions, sometimes it is also important to notice their failings, and not be afraid to speak out when the situation calls for it. Right now, Natsu is worrying alone, and I don't think that is the best situation for us to be in. His biggest character fault is that he is so afraid of being a useless failure that his fear cripples him. He will sacrifice anything of himself in order to not be a burden on others, and his complete lack of regard for his own safety can be harmful to us all. Sometimes, if we want something badly enough, we trick ourselves into believing we have it, and ignore details that would mean it isn't true. Peace can be the same way."

Naruto was not sure how to respond to that, because he could tell that what she was saying was the complete truth. "What do you think we should do, then? He won't talk about it, and you know it. Going after him will solve nothing, at least not until he knows what is wrong."

Naruko looked him in the eye. "I don't plan to question him. I just want him to know that someone is always there at his side, regardless of the circumstance. I feel like it is something he needs to be reminded of constantly…that emo jerk."

Naruto sighed. _Naruko will be Naruko…_ "Okay, go to him then. Maybe you can cheer him up some."

Naruko glanced at the sky before responding, "I hope so. For just once, I hope for his sake that something will go right…"


End file.
